With former Virginia baseball star Ryan Zimmerman tearing up the National League for the Washington Nationals in his rookie season, many Virginia baseball fans may forget to keep track of other former Wahoos in the professional pipeline. Two Cavaliers from this year's squad -- outfielder/first baseman Tom Hagan and left-handed pitcher Mike Ballard -- were selected earlier this month in the 2006 Major League Draft and have embarked on their professional careers.
Ballard, a Virginia Beach native, was taken in the 14th round (418th overall) by the Texas Rangers. He agreed to terms with the Rangers June 9 and made his professional debut June 20 for the Class-A Spokane Indians of the Northwest League. He has made two starts for the Indians during which he has notched a 0-1 record, with seven innings of work and a 6.43 earned run average.
During a four-year career at Virginia, Ballard posted a 19-8 record. In 2005, Ballard was drafted in the 47th round by the Minnesota Twins but decided to return to Virginia. This past season, he went 9-3 with a 4.09 ERA. He made most of his 16 starts in the Sunday afternoon slot. Ballard missed the 2004 season due to injury and forfeited one remaining year of eligibility when he signed with the Rangers.
"I think Mike Ballard is going to have success," O'Connor said. "I don't it's going to happen right away but I think he can get into professional baseball and pitch right away with his fastball. He can pitch inside very well, and with wood bats, that's going to help him. We all know he also has a good change-up and breaking ball so I think he'll go in there and have some success and after a year or two, when he moves up a level or two, it'll be determined whether he has a shot or not. It'll be a slow process for him."
Hagan, a Roanoke native, was one of Virginia's most productive offensive catalysts in 2006. His .357 batting average was the second-best on the team to Brandon Guyer's .380. Hagan also drove in 41 RBIs and stole 19 bases.
He was drafted in the 39th round (1,160 overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates and signed with the organization June 9. According to baseballamerica.com, Hagan has played in three games for the Gulf Coast League Pirates and has posted a .143 average -- one hit in seven at-bats -- and walked five times. He has also scored two runs and driven in one.
"Tom Hagan is truly one of the great stories I've had in my coaching career," Virginia baseball coach Brian O'Connor said. "He came here to play two sports -- he was the starting punter for two years before he stepped away from the football program -- and he had injuries in every year that he played baseball here. But finally, in his last year, he put it all together and had a terrific year for us, helping to lead us offensively. Then he gets an opportunity to go out and play professionally in the Pirates organization. That's what it's all about. I'm happy for him and I hope he goes onto play for 15 years. But no matter what, he's represented our program the right way and we're real proud of him."
Other draftees of note to Virginia were Ryan Kalish and Neal Davis -- two members of O'Connor's incoming recruiting class. Kalish, a center fielder and pitcher from Shrewsbury, NJ., was selected in the ninth round by the Boston Red Sox. Davis, a left-handed pitcher from Baltimore, was chosen in the 39th round by the Baltimore Orioles. It will be a long summer for O'Connor while he awaits the decisions of those two players as to whether they will turn pro or not. Players who go to college must stay in school for three years before they are again eligible to be drafted.
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