Former Corban baseball player Jamie McGraw will make his professional debut in three days against the AZL Royals.
Professional Career Just Around the Corner for Corban's McGraw
SURPRISE, Ariz. – Former Warrior Jamie McGraw (Gaston, Ore.) is less than three days away from beginning his professional career with the Arizona League Rangers, as the fleet-footed center fielder was drafted by the Texas Rangers earlier this month in the 40th round.
Earlier this month, McGraw joined former Warriors Rich Dorman and Brian Nelson as the only members of Corban's baseball program to be taken in Major League Baseball's annual first-year player draft since 1988. McGraw's father, Gary, is a scout for the Texas Rangers, who drafted the younger McGraw with 1,203rd pick overall.
McGraw, who was the lone Cascade Collegiate Conference player taken in this year's draft, will begin his professional playing career on Sunday, June 22nd, when the AZL Rangers host the AZL Royals beginning at 10:30 a.m. (Mountain Standard Time) at the Surprise Complex just west of Phoenix.
The first week of professional baseball will be a tough one for McGraw, as he will play seven games in eight days with the lone off-day coming on Wednesday, June 25th.
The AZL Rangers' first 22 games will begin at 10:30 a.m. (MST), while the final 28 games will take place under the lights with a scheduled start of 7:00 p.m. (MST).
In three seasons at Corban, McGraw appeared in 130 games and registered 144 hits in 462 at-bats en route to recording a career batting average of .312, which ranks 8th all-time in Warrior history. Other career categories that McGraw ranks in the top 10 in Warrior baseball history are stolen bases (2nd -- 44), walks (3rd -- 75), triples (tied for 3rd -- 4), runs scored (6th -- 94), and hits (8th -- 144).
The two-time Cascade Collegiate Conference honorable mention selection and 2008 CCC Gold Glove team member could return to the Salem-Keizer area before the end of the season. If McGraw is promoted to the Rangers' Single-A short-season affiliate, the Spokane Indians, then he would return to Salem on August 15th to take on the Volcanoes.
To follow McGraw's debut season, visit the
AZL Rangers' web site.
NOTE: Former Warrior Rich Dorman was recently promoted to the Seattle Mariners' Triple A affiliate, the Tacoma Rainiers, where he has appeared in one game on the mound, throwing 5.0 innings and striking out a pair of batters.