Arizona Wildcats shortstop Kevin Newman, a three-time All-Pac-12 first-team selection, was selected 19th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in Monday night's Major League Baseball draft.
Newman is the first UA player to go in the top 20 picks since Trevor Crowe was selected 14th by the Cleveland Indians in 2005.
Second baseman Scott Kingery was taken in the second round by the Philadelphia Phillies. He was the 48th overall pick.
Newman hit .370 this season as a junior and led the team in doubles (19) and stolen bases (22). The shortstop helped his draft stock the most in the summer, winning back-to-back Cape Cod League batting titles in 2013 and 2014.
The San Diego native watched the draft at his Godfather's house in suburban Poway. He was widely projected to go in the first round, as high as No. 10 to Philadelphia. The Pirates were not a team linked to Newman much in the pre-draft process. The St. Louis Cardinals, picking at No. 23, were said to be high on the UA's shortstop.
People are also reading…
Newman never missed a game in his UA career, starting all 165 games over three seasons. He hit .337 in his career with 35 doubles, 112 RBIs and 46 stolen bases.
Kingery was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year last month and led the league with a .392 batting average. He also had 15 doubles, five triples and five home runs. The former walk-on was projected to go in the first round, but fell to No. 48 to Philadelphia.
The shortstop is the fifth player in the Andy Lopez era to accomplish be taken in the first round. The others are Brian Anderson (2003), Trevor Crowe (2005), Daniel Schlereth (2008), Ryan Perry (2008) and Newman.
