ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Eckerd College baseball team had a pair of players selected in the recent Major League Baseball Draft.
Junior outfielder
Chris Clinton and senior infielder
Matt Abraham were taken by the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays, respectively. Clinton was picked in the 23rd round, while Abraham was taken in the 49th round.
It marks just the third time in program history that multiple Tritons were selected in a MLB draft. The last time Eckerd had two players picked was 1990 (Billy Norris and Ronnie Watson).
Off the field, Clinton and Abraham both graduated this past spring -- each with a degree in management.
"I am really proud of these guys," said Eckerd head coach Bill Mathews, who has now had 16 players drafted during his 20-year head coaching career at Eckerd. "They certainly deserved a chance to play at the next level. They are both extremely hard workers, and it will be a lot of fun to watch these guys continue their careers."
Clinton hit .314 with seven home runs and 36 RBIs for Eckerd in 2010. The Seminole native stole 57 bases in his two-year Triton career and led the Sunshine State Conference with 40 swipes in 2009. He started every game during the last two years.
Abraham hit .305 for the Tritons in 2010 and led the squad with 13 doubles. A product of Worcester, Mass., Abraham also started every game during the last two years. He ranked eighth in the nation in sacrifice bunts in 2009.
Clinton was assigned to Bluefield, the Orioles' Rookie League affiliate in the Appalachian League. Abraham, meanwhile, was assigned to the Blue Jays' Rookie Gulf Coast League team.
Fans can follow their progress on MILB.com.