June 7, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky senior southpaw Jerad Grundy has been picked in the 10th round of the 2013 MLB Draft by the Oakland Athletics, going No. 311 overall, it was announced on Friday evening from the MLB Network Studios in Secaucus, N.J.
Grundy is the third UK pitcher to be picked through the first two days of the 2013 MLB Draft, joining Corey Littrell and Trevor Gott. Littrell was picked in the fifth round (No. 143) by the Boston Red Sox and Gott was picked in the sixth round (No. 178) by the San Diego Padres.
The three pitchers now give UK a total of 54 players since 2006 that have been drafted or signed a professional contract. The UK pitchers also give UK 18 total top-10 round picks in the last eight MLB Drafts. In 2012, UK ranked second in the NCAA with a school-record nine players picked in the MLB Draft.
Grundy was drafted for the fourth time in his career, most recently in the 26th round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins. Grundy was also picked out of high school in the 46th round by the Texas Rangers in 2009 and by the Florida Marlins in the 42nd round of the 2011 MLB Draft.
Grundy was the ninth Wildcat to be drafted out of UK as a junior to elect to return to school for their senior seasons in the last six years. Among the players who have improved their draft positions by returning to UK include MLB outfielder Collin Cowgill (29th round in 2007, fifth round in 2008), Sawyer Carroll (18th round in 2007, third round in 2008), Scott Green (15th round in 2007, third round in 2008), Taylor Black (28th round in 2010, 16th round in 2011), Chris Rusin (23rd round in 2008, fourth round in 2009), Michael Williams (37th round in 2011, 30th round in 2012) and Sean Coughlin (42nd round in 2006, 13th round in 2007).
A native of Johnsburg, Ill., Grundy has had a strong two seasons for the Wildcats after transferring from Miami (Fla.) and Heartland Community College. A 6-foot-1, 200-pound lefty, Grundy is coming off a season that saw him make 14 starts in 2013, owning a 6-6 record and a 4.86 ERA. Grundy worked 83.1 innings in 2013, allowing just 20 walks and striking out 61.
Grundy got off to a dominating start to 2013, posting a 5-1 record and a 1.99 ERA on March 23 through his first six starts. Grundy’s best start of the year came in an eight-inning stint vs. No. 14 Mississippi State and the then-league leading offensive attack, where he allowed two runs and struck out 10.
In his two-year career, Grundy made 30 starts for UK, posting a 12-9 record and a 4.31 ERA in 169 innings, walking 56 and striking out 124. As a junior in 2012, Grundy served as the Saturday starter for a team that set the program record with 45 wins. Grundy went 6-3 with a 3.78 ERA as a junior in 2012, striking out 63 in 85.2 innings.
The 2013 MLB Draft went through 10 rounds on Friday night and will conclude with rounds 11-40 on Saturday, starting at 1 p.m. ET, with complete coverage on MLB.com.
