Oregon Baseball: Starting Pitcher Matt Mercer Taken In MLB Draft

Oregon Starting Pitcher Matt Mercer was selected in the MLB Draft on Tuesday.

Mercer is the 30^th Pitcher chosen since the return of baseball at the University of Oregon and was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Last season it was David Peterson who made the noise on the first day of the MLB Draft. He was selected by the New York Mets. Oregon Ducks Pitchers have made a name for themselves and are starting to make some noise at the Professional Level. Despite growing pains, Colorado Rockies Starter Tyler Anderson is also a former Oregon Duck.

Anderson is showing poise this season for Colorado and is 3-1 with 52 strikeouts and a 5.07 Earned Run Average.

For the Oregon Ducks, Matt Mercer has been a workhorse over his three seasons with the team. In 2017 he threw behind Peterson on Saturdays and opened the 2018 season as the Friday Starter.

More from Autzen Zoo

As the season wound down, Mercer was moved back down to Saturday and Kenyon Yovan was given the opportunity. Yovan stepped into the role with more than a handful of quality starts for the team this season.

Matt Mercer finished his Oregon Career with a 13-16 record and a 3.77 Earned Run Average. He had 46 appearances, 35 of them Starts which ties for the sixth most in Oregon Baseball History.

While the Oregon Ducks did not make the postseason again in 2018, the team clearly has key players that are valued at the next level. The pitching staff in recent seasons has been solid. The key issue for 2018 was more on the Oregon Offense than with Pitching. Oregon Starting Pitchers threw for more quality starts, but the Ducks Offense failed to score enough runs causing no decisions and losses along the way.

Mercer marks the 45^th player selected from the University of Oregon in the MLB Draft since the Programs return in the 2009 season.

Home/Oregon Ducks Baseball