Four Samford Players Taken On Final Day Of MLB Draft - ABC 33/40 - Birmingham News, Weather, Sports

Four Samford Players Taken On Final Day Of MLB Draft

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -

Samford relief pitchers Tyler Vanderheiden and Joseph Burns, first baseman Saxon Butler and starting pitcher Charles Basford were selected on the final day of the Major League Baseball Draft on Wednesday.

Vanderheiden was taken by the New York Mets in the 19th round. Burns was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 28th round, while Butler went to the New York Yankees in the 33rd round. Basford was also taken by the Yankees in the 37th round.

Vanderheiden, who was drafted with the 590th overall pick, is coming off a strong senior season. Vanderheiden tossed 29.2 innings in 2012, posting an earned run average of 3.34 and a record of 1-1. He struck out 30 batters for the Bulldogs this season.

Burns finished his senior season in 2012 with a record of 4-1 and an earned run average of 1.64. He struck out 39 batters, while allowing just eight walks. Burns held opposing batters to a .146 batting average in 38.1 innings of work.

Butler led Samford in hitting as a senior in 2012, batting .340 with 14 doubles, 15 home runs and 61 RBI. Butler ranked second in the Southern Conference in hits (88) and total bases (149), and he ranked third in the league in runs batted in (61) and home runs (15).

Basford finished the 2012 season with a record of 10-2 and an earned run average of 3.65. Basford ranked second in the SoCon in innings pitched (106.0), tied for second in games started (16), and he tied for third in the league in wins (10).

In his final performance in a Samford uniform, Basford pitched 8.0 shutout innings in a 5-0 win over 17th-ranked Mississippi State in Samford's first-ever NCAA Tournament game at the Tallahassee Regional last week.

With the four selections today, Samford has now had a program-record seven players taken in the 2012 MLB Draft. On Tuesday, Brandon Miller (4th round), Lex Rutledge (6th round) and Josh Martin (10th round) were selected.

These seven players helped lead the Samford baseball program to the most successful season in program history in 2012. The Bulldogs won a program-record 41 games, earned their first-ever Southern Conference championship and first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Samford reached the finals of the NCAA Tallahassee Regional before being eliminated by host and third-ranked Florida State on Sunday.