Two Crimson Tide Players Selected in 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft
6/14/2017 5:43:00 PM | Baseball
Garrett Suchey (26th) and Chandler Taylor (27th) were each selected on Wednesday afternoon
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama baseball had two players selected in the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Garrett Suchey (26th round, Kansas City Royals) and Chandler Taylor (27th round, Minnesota Twins) were each taken on the final day of the three-day event.
The selections of Suchey and Taylor increase the Crimson Tide's all-time draft pick total to 148 players since the draft's inception in 1966. Alabama has now had at least one player taken for 39 straight years dating back to 1979 and 46 of the 52 MLB drafts overall. Across the last eight years, the Crimson Tide has had 40 players selected and 75 over the last 18 drafts dating back to 2000.
Garrett Suchey (26th Round | 780 Overall | Kansas City Royals)
The Tide's go-to pitcher in a tight situation, Suchey played his first season at Alabama in 2017. The right-hander finished his junior campaign as the team leader in innings pitched (73.2) and strikeouts (70) while maintaining a team-low 3.18 ERA (26 ER). Suchey finished 2-7 overall with three saves across his 23 relief outings and one start. He limited the opposition to a lowly .224 average and walked only 26 batters compared to his 70 punchouts.
In SEC play, Suchey collected a pair of saves across 14 appearances, including his lone start, collecting 41 strikeouts and holding conference hitters to a .233 average. He came to Tuscaloosa from Wallace State-Hanceville Community College, where he spent his first two collegiate seasons earning First Team All-ACCC North Division honors as a sophomore before transferring to the Capstone.
Chandler Taylor (27th Round | 796 Overall | Minnesota Twins)
A two-year starter at Alabama, Taylor has been a force in the Crimson Tide lineup, serving as the primary cleanup hitter in each of the last two seasons. Taylor has batted .278 (107-385) with 25 home runs and 67 RBI while adding 67 runs scored in his two seasons with the Crimson Tide. His efforts earned him postseason all-conference recognition each year, including All-SEC Freshman Team honors in 2016 followed by a Second Team All-SEC selection in 2017.
Taylor finished 2017 as the team leader in seven offensive categories including: home runs (16), RBI (34), runs (39), walks (32), stolen bases (7-11), slugging percentage (.601) and total bases (113). His numbers also placed him among league leaders, ranking third in home runs, fifth in slugging and ninth overall in total bases during the regular-season. In SEC play, Taylor led UA's everyday starters in average at .295 (33-112), while contributing a team-leading 10 home runs, 15 RBI, 19 runs scored, 71 total bases and 16 walks. His .634 slugging and .382 on-base percentage also led the team, while his eight doubles and three stolen bases each tied for the team-high mark. Against SEC opponents during the regular season, Taylor ranked fourth in home runs, fifth in slugging percentage and seventh in total bases across the league.
As a freshman, Taylor started all 56 games that he played in, finishing with a .274 (54-197) average, adding nine home runs and a team-high 40 walks on his way to Freshman All-SEC recognition. In SEC play, Taylor led the Tide in average (.295), RBI (25), extra-base hits (16), total bases (63), walks (24), slugging (.600) and on-base percentage (.435).
Both undergraduate players have remaining eligibility and are able to return to the University to continue their careers at Alabama if they elect to not sign a professional contract. The final date to sign a professional contract is July 15.
Get all the latest information on the team by following AlabamaBSB on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook at Alabama Baseball. General athletic news can be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and AlabamaAthletics on Facebook.
