Brett Vertigan, who put together one of the finest seasons in UCSB baseball history, was selected by the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday in the 10th round of Major League Baseball’s Amateur Draft.
The junior from Garden Grove was taken with the 319th overall pick and is the highest position player selected from UCSB since Chris Valaika was taken in the third round in 2006.
Vertigan, an All-Big West First Team selection, hit .381 to lead the conference, becoming the first Gaucho since 1985 to accomplish that feat. He also finished second in slugging percentage, second in on-base percentage, second in hits and runs scored and led the league in triples and stolen bases.
“It’s the dream of every kid who has put on a baseball uniform to get drafted and I couldn’t be happier right now,” said Vertigan, who set the UCSB record for triples in a season with nine. “I want to thank the Gaucho coaching staff for helping me get to this point and I am excited about representing UCSB throughout my professional career.”
Vertigan was the lone Gaucho taken on the second day of the draft, which featured rounds 2-15. However, he wasn’t the only one with UCSB ties that was selected. Right-handed pitcher Corey Oswalt, who has signed a National Letter Intent to UCSB, was taken in the seventh round by the New York Mets.
Vertigan opened the 2012 season on a 23-game hitting streak and the leadoff batter reached base in 55 of the Gauchos’ 56 games this season. He also put together an 11-game hitting streak. His 90 hits rank as one of the single-season top-10 marks in Gaucho annals and he played a near-flawless center field.
The third, and final, day of the MLB Draft will take place on Wednesday with rounds 16 through 40.
