Bradley junior outfielder Dan Brewer (Brookfield, Ill./Lyons Township H.S.) who was selected in the eighth round of last week's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, has signed with the New York Yankees and has reported to extended spring training in Tampa, Fla., with an expected assignment to Staten Island in the Class A Short-Season New York-Penn League.
Brewer was one of three underclassmen for the 2008 Bradley Baseball team to be selected in last week's draft. Junior pitcher Collin Brennan was a 34th round pick by the Cleveland Indians and redshirt sophomore pitcher Rob Scahill was a 48th round pick by the Yankees. Both players have until Aug. 15 to negotiate with the Major League clubs before making the commitment to return to Bradley for the 2009 season.
In addition to Brewer's departure to the pro ranks, Bradley recruit Nicholas Bucci (Sarnia, Ontario/St. Patrick Secondary), a 6-foot-3 right-handed pitcher with a low 90's fastball, reportedly was set to sign with the Milwaukee Brewers today. Bucci is expected to report to Milwaukee's complex in Arizona for extended spring training before receiving his assignment.
After twice earning all-conference honors as a middle infielder in his first two years with the Braves, Brewer became the first Bradley outfielder to land on the Missouri Valley Conference first team since Chad Saalfrank in 1997 and he was just the fourth first-team All-MVC outfielder for the Braves since 1973, joining Baseball Hall-of-Famer Kirby Puckett (1981), Eric Kuhlman (1988) and Saalfrank. Prior to copping first-team All-MVC honors in 2008, Brewer was an honorable mention All-MVC second baseman as a freshman in 2006 and a second-team choice at shortstop as a sophomore last year.
Brewer ended the season batting .341 with 15 doubles, six home runs, 36 runs batted in and 19 stolen bases. In addition to his 19 steals, Brewer led the Braves with 51 runs scored, a .551 slugging percentage and a.436 on-base percentage. He was the only Bradley batter to boast more walks (28) than strikeouts (26) this season.
Aided by his impressive numbers this season, Brewer became the first player in Bradley history to club at least 20 career home runs (21) and swipe at least 40 career stolen bases (47). He ranks among Bradley's all-time top 10 in six offensive categories: triples (9, fourth); hit-by-pitches (19, fourth); stolen bases (47, seventh); doubles (47, seventh); runs scored (142, seventh); and total bases (325, ninth).
Brewer will give Bradley five active players in Major League Baseball and its affiliated minor league system. Situational left-handed reliever Brian Shouse is in the middle of his ninth Major League season. In his third year with the Milwaukee Brewers, Shouse enters this weekend's interleague series versus Minnesota with a 3-0 record, two saves and a 2.31 earned run average.
Each of Bradley's previous two first-team All-MVC picks are playing in the minor leagues. Second baseman Ryan Curry is hitting .254 for the Greensboro Grasshoppers (Florida Marlins) in the Single A South Atlantic League. The 2007 first-team All-MVC performer has heated up of late, hitting .380 (19-50) with three home runs and 15 runs batted in during his current 11-game hitting streak. Right-handed hurler Brandon Magee (0-8) is still looking for his first career win at the Double A level, where he is pitching for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in the Toronto organization. He was in position to get that win Tuesday by allowing only one run in 6.0 innings before coming out with a 5-1 lead, but the New Hampshire bullpen allowed Akron to score seven runs in the final three innings for an 8-6 loss.
In addition, former Bradley catcher Ryan Eigsti will make his professional return to Peoria tonight as a member of the Burlington Bees, the Single A Midwest League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. In his first full professional season, the strong-armed catcher is batting .200 for the Bees with three homers and 14 RBI's in 49 games.
