Zanon, Barnett, Gonzalez and Grogan selected in MLB Draft
Zachary Shore, LCSC
LEWISTON, Idaho – A trio of Lewis-Clark State College pitchers, Jake Barnett, Noel Gonzalez and Quin Grogan along with Avista NAIA World Series Most Valuable Player Jacob Zanon were selected in the Major League Baseball draft on Saturday.
Zanon came of the board first as the New York Mets selected him in the 15th round, making him the highest Warrior drafted since Zach Arneson went in the ninth round in 2011. Barnett went to the Washington Nationals in the 20th round and was followed by Gonzalez in the 29th round to the St. Louis Cardinals while Grogan was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 30th round.
Lewis-Clark State hasn’t had this many players selected in a single season since 2010 when seven Warriors were drafted. It brings the number of players selected under fourth year Head Coach Jeremiah Robbins to 10 and the overall number of players selected to 131.
Zanon, a junior from Beaverton, Ore., was pick No. 460 overall. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound outfielder joined LCSC in 2016 after spending two seasons at Shoreline Community College. In his lone campaign in a Warrior uniform, he led the NAIA in runs scored per game (1.429) and his 80 runs were the most scored by a Warrior since 2007.
Zanon was also second on the team with a .393 average as he collected 86 hits with 20 doubles and 14 home runs while driving in 56. He also flashed his speed on the bases, finishing the season a perfect 27-for-27 in steals. He was an All-NAIA West selection as well as an honorable mention All-American.
Zanon is the seventh Warrior to be selected by the Mets and first since 2007 which is also the last time LCSC had a player taken in the 15th round where five other Warriors have been selected.
Barnett, the 604th selection in the draft, appeared in 13 games and made eight starts going 6-1 with a 3.40 ERA in 47.2 innings. He tallied one complete game and was part of two shutouts while also garnering one save on the season. He struck out 51 batters and walked just 16 on the year.
The 6-foor-2, 190-pound left-handed pitcher was a key piece of the bullpen down the stretch for the Warriors en route to the programs 18th national championship. He is the fifth 20th round pick in LC history and first since 2011. He’s also just the fourth Warrior taken by the Nationals/Expos organization, but the second lefty, joining Anthony Ferrari who made his MLB debut in 2003.
Gonzalez, a junior from Naches, Wash., was the 886th pick in the draft. The 6-foot, 185-pound right-handed pitcher led the Warriors with a 1.29 ERA in 21 innings with a 2-0 record in 15 appearances, all in relief.
The primary closer early in the season and key setup man late notched eight saves which is tied for third most all-time and the most since Henry Buenrostro tallied 10 in 2010. Gonzalez struck out 16 batters and held opponents to a .197 average this season.
He is the sixth Warrior to be taken by St. Louis and first LC pitcher selected by the Cardinals since 1995. He is also the seventh Warrior to go in the 29th round, first since 2012.
The final LC player taken in the 2016 draft was Grogan, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound righty from Stanfield, Ore. The 903rd pick in the draft, Grogan had a career year, ranking third in the NAIA in opponent batting average (.175) and fourth in hits allowed per nine innings (5.26).
The most tenured Warrior, Grogan appeared in 14 games, starting 12, but earned the win in relief in the World Series championship game. He finished the season 5-1 with a 1.91 ERA in 75.1 innings. His 83 strikeouts led the team and he tallied two complete games including a no-hitter.
Grogan is just the third LCSC player taken by the Twins and first since 2010. It’s also the third time a Warrior has going in the 30th round the last coming in 2006.
Including this year’s class, the Warriors have had 18 left-handed pitchers, 18 outfielders, 45 right-handed pitchers and 50 infielders/catchers drafted.
LCSC has had at least one player drafted every season since 1975 and the name Lewis-Clark State College has been called 146 times. This season, the quartet led the Warriors to a 52-8 record and their 18th national championship.