Third-year sophomore outfielder Gavin Cross was drafted 9th over all tonight by the Kansas City Royals, becoming the Hokies’ highest all-time MLB Draft selection.
(Earlier from Hokiesports.com) Third-year sophomore outfielder Gavin Cross will be chasing Tech program history on Sunday night as he seeks to become the Hokies’ highest all-time MLB Draft selection – a mark currently held by left-hand pitcher Joe Saunders (2002, No. 12 overall). Cross is widely coveted as a top-10 draft prospect, placing No. 5 on Perfect Game‘s final big board (July 14) and No. 10 on MLB Pipeline‘s list of the top 250 prospects (June 29). Among collegiate prospects, Cross improved to No. 4 on D1Baseball‘s latest and final reveal of its top 150 draft rankings, leapfrogging LSU outfielder Jacob Berry. Cross is looking to become the sixth Tech player to be taken during the first round of the MLB Draft and join the elite company of first baseman Franklin Stubbs (1982), right-hand pitcher Brad DuVall (1987, 1988), right-hand pitcher Denny Wagner (1997; compensatory) and southpaw Joe Saunders (2002). Stubbs holds the record for the highest selection by a Tech position player, No. 19, which stands in jeopardy to fall during Sunday’s opening round.
