Three UNM baseball players were picked up by the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday.
Senior pitcher Joe Salas went to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 24th round, junior shortstop Josh Mader was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 29th round, and junior pitcher Cooper Eddy was taken by the Boston Red Sox in the 36th round.
It is the 12th consecutive year a Lobo has been selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft.
UNM head coach Rich Alday said reaching the Major League is one of the top goals of the Lobo program.
"I'm here for two reasons," Alday said. "One is to get these kids their education and their degrees. The other is to give them the opportunity to go to the next level in professional baseball."
Alday said it was just a matter of time before Salas went pro and the Pirates would sign him as a reliever.
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"He'll do the same thing in pro ball that he did here," Alday said. "And hopefully, he'll do a good job."
Salas finished his Lobo career as the second all-time pitcher with 11 saves, and he went 4-2 this season. Salas is also the third-best all-time home-run hitter, with 38 home runs. He was the 712th overall pick.
Eddy, a right-hander who transferred to UNM this year from Tennessee Tech, led the UNM pitching staff with 60 strikeouts in 88 innings of work. Eddy was named Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Week twice in his one season in the league.
Mader was one of UNM's biggest threats at the plate and was the 872nd overall pick. He earned All-Mountain West honors this year with a stellar .395 batting average, 10 homers and 56 RBI. Alday said he was surprised Mader was not a higher pick. Alday said scouts had suggested Mader would be picked up anywhere between the seventh and 15th rounds.
But Mader said the important thing to him was that he got a foot in the door.
"It's just a big business," Mader said. "There are so many factors. The main thing is that I got the opportunity. A lot of kids don't get that."
Mader is currently working on a degree in university studies, which he may put on hold if he chooses to sign a contract with the Phillies. Either way Mader said he plans to get a degree, even if it is years down the road.
Mader said he has a meeting with a Philadelphia scout on Thursday so he can best weigh his options.
"They have a great organization," Mader said. "Philly is a great place and I think I'm going to be playing in New York for minor league ball."
Alday said Mader still has a lot of options.
"He can come back to school and improve his status, or he can play professional," Alday said. "Whatever he does, we're going to be happy for him."
