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Phillies Select Lackney in 18th Round of MLB Draft
6/5/2019 12:41:00 PM | Baseball
The Philadelphia Phillies selected Minnesota Baseball left-handed pitcher Nick Lackney on Wednesday, the final day of the 2019 MLB Draft, in the 18th round with the no. 540 overall pick.
The Gophers' 2019 George Thomas Most Improved Player award winner, Lackney transformed his season after moving to the bullpen. He made 20 appearances on the mound for Minnesota, including two starts, finishing 4-4 with a 2.38 ERA and a pair of saves. The southpaw also struck out 49 batters in 53.0 innings to round out his career-best numbers. The Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin native wrapped his career at 11-7 with a 4.19 ERA in 148.1 innings spanning 65 appearances and 13 starts. He collected 134 career strikeouts compared to 76 walks and held opponents to a .234 batting average.
A three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Lackney finished his degree in Family Social Science this year. He peaked at the right time with a season-best performance in the Big Ten Tournament, throwing a season-high 6.0 innings of one-hit ball vs. No. 21 Indiana on May 23. The lefty is the second Gophers draft pick by Philadelphia this season joining Brett Schulze, grabbed in the seventh round by the Phils.
Including the 2019 crop, Minnesota boasts 134 draft picks dating back to 1966, and the program has produced 36 Major Leaguers including MLB Hall of Famers Dave Winfield ('73) and Paul Molitor ('77). The Maroon & Gold has had four players taken this season and 35 draft picks since 2010.
The Gophers' 2019 George Thomas Most Improved Player award winner, Lackney transformed his season after moving to the bullpen. He made 20 appearances on the mound for Minnesota, including two starts, finishing 4-4 with a 2.38 ERA and a pair of saves. The southpaw also struck out 49 batters in 53.0 innings to round out his career-best numbers. The Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin native wrapped his career at 11-7 with a 4.19 ERA in 148.1 innings spanning 65 appearances and 13 starts. He collected 134 career strikeouts compared to 76 walks and held opponents to a .234 batting average.
A three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Lackney finished his degree in Family Social Science this year. He peaked at the right time with a season-best performance in the Big Ten Tournament, throwing a season-high 6.0 innings of one-hit ball vs. No. 21 Indiana on May 23. The lefty is the second Gophers draft pick by Philadelphia this season joining Brett Schulze, grabbed in the seventh round by the Phils.
Including the 2019 crop, Minnesota boasts 134 draft picks dating back to 1966, and the program has produced 36 Major Leaguers including MLB Hall of Famers Dave Winfield ('73) and Paul Molitor ('77). The Maroon & Gold has had four players taken this season and 35 draft picks since 2010.
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