PHOENIX – Outfielder Hunter Bishop was selected with the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants on Monday, becoming the first Sun Devil Baseball player to go in the first round since 2012. Bishop was joined on the opening night of the draft by teammate Alec Marsh, who was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the second round with the 70th overall pick – the first pick of the second competitive balance round.
It marks the first time at least two Sun Devils have gone in the first two rounds of the MLB Draft since Seth Blair (1st) and Jordan Swagerty (2nd) did so in 2010.
Bishop became the 50th first round draft pick in ASU history and the 438th overall selection in the MLB Draft while becoming the the 13th Top-10 pick in Sun Devil lore.
He becomes the highest draft selection in a decade and the first Top-10 Draft pick since Mike Leake went eighth overall to the Cincinnati Reds in 2009. He becomes the first Sun Devil to go on the opening day of the draft since Deven Merrero was selected 24th overall by the Boston Red Sox in 2012.
The junior slugger burst on to the scene in 2019, climbing over 100 positions in nearly every draft projection to earn his selection by the Giants today. Bishop knocked 22 home runs on the season the second-best total in the Pac-12 behind teammate Spencer Torkelson and 10th in the country. He had just 10 combined home runs in his first two seasons in Phoenix.
He's eighth in the country and second in the Pac-12 with a .748 slugging percentage while finished fifth in the league with a .479 on-base percentage for a gaudy 1.227 OPS. He is seventh nationally and second in the Pac-12 with 166 total bases and finished third in the league 63 RBIs, which was 36th nationally.
He was fourth in the Pac-12 with 67 runs scored, a total that also ranked in the top-25 nationally.
The ultimate competitor on the mound, Alec Marsh was Mr. Consistent throughout his career at ASU. The junior ace allowed three runs or fewer in 31 of his final 35 appearances as a Sun Devil, dating back to his freshman campaign.
Once overtaking the role as Mr. Friday Night midway throughout his sophomore season, Marsh posted a quality start in 16 of his final 24 games In the Maroon and Gold.
Marsh finished the season with a 3.46 ERA over 101.1 innings pitched, the latter ranked among the top-20 nationally. Marsh struck out 99 batters in the year, the most for a Sun Devil pitcher since Seth Blair posted 108 in 2010.
Marsh struck out 10 batters in back-to-back games against Nebraska and Cal and has done so three times this season. He is the first Sun Devil to record back-to-back 10-strikeout outings since Mike Leake did so in three straight games in the 2009 season (May 15, May 22 and May 30). Marsh is also the first Sun Devil to have at least three games in the same season striking out 10 batters in a game since Leake and Josh Spence during that 2009 campaign.
Marsh became the first Sun Devil right-hander to go in the first two rounds of the MLB Draft since Trevor Williams also was selected in the second round by the Pirates in 2013.
Several other Sun Devils will expect to hear their named called over the next two days. Fans are encouraged to follow the action by staying tuned to the @ASU_Baseball Twitter account for continued updates on Sun Devil action in the 2019 MLB Draft.
It marks the first time at least two Sun Devils have gone in the first two rounds of the MLB Draft since Seth Blair (1st) and Jordan Swagerty (2nd) did so in 2010.
Bishop became the 50th first round draft pick in ASU history and the 438th overall selection in the MLB Draft while becoming the the 13th Top-10 pick in Sun Devil lore.
He becomes the highest draft selection in a decade and the first Top-10 Draft pick since Mike Leake went eighth overall to the Cincinnati Reds in 2009. He becomes the first Sun Devil to go on the opening day of the draft since Deven Merrero was selected 24th overall by the Boston Red Sox in 2012.
The junior slugger burst on to the scene in 2019, climbing over 100 positions in nearly every draft projection to earn his selection by the Giants today. Bishop knocked 22 home runs on the season the second-best total in the Pac-12 behind teammate Spencer Torkelson and 10th in the country. He had just 10 combined home runs in his first two seasons in Phoenix.
He's eighth in the country and second in the Pac-12 with a .748 slugging percentage while finished fifth in the league with a .479 on-base percentage for a gaudy 1.227 OPS. He is seventh nationally and second in the Pac-12 with 166 total bases and finished third in the league 63 RBIs, which was 36th nationally.
He was fourth in the Pac-12 with 67 runs scored, a total that also ranked in the top-25 nationally.
The ultimate competitor on the mound, Alec Marsh was Mr. Consistent throughout his career at ASU. The junior ace allowed three runs or fewer in 31 of his final 35 appearances as a Sun Devil, dating back to his freshman campaign.
Once overtaking the role as Mr. Friday Night midway throughout his sophomore season, Marsh posted a quality start in 16 of his final 24 games In the Maroon and Gold.
Marsh finished the season with a 3.46 ERA over 101.1 innings pitched, the latter ranked among the top-20 nationally. Marsh struck out 99 batters in the year, the most for a Sun Devil pitcher since Seth Blair posted 108 in 2010.
Marsh struck out 10 batters in back-to-back games against Nebraska and Cal and has done so three times this season. He is the first Sun Devil to record back-to-back 10-strikeout outings since Mike Leake did so in three straight games in the 2009 season (May 15, May 22 and May 30). Marsh is also the first Sun Devil to have at least three games in the same season striking out 10 batters in a game since Leake and Josh Spence during that 2009 campaign.
Marsh became the first Sun Devil right-hander to go in the first two rounds of the MLB Draft since Trevor Williams also was selected in the second round by the Pirates in 2013.
Several other Sun Devils will expect to hear their named called over the next two days. Fans are encouraged to follow the action by staying tuned to the @ASU_Baseball Twitter account for continued updates on Sun Devil action in the 2019 MLB Draft.