Former Miners selected in MLB draft

PALMER — Ian Miller spent last summer burning down the base paths of Alaska Baseball League ballparks. But in the future, the Wagner junior and former Mat-Su Miners outfielder may be spending his summers playing professional baseball.

Miller, who led the ABL with 36 stolen bases last year, was selected by the Seattle Mariners during the 14th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft late last week. He was one of three former Miners to be selected during the 40-round draft, joining BYU outfielder Jaycob Brugman and Florida State pitcher Scott Sitz.

Brugman, who batted .262 for the Miners in 2011, was taken by Oakland in the 17th round. Brugman led BYU with 11 home runs, 52 RBI and 30 walks as a junior, and was third on the squad with a .317 batting average.

Sitz, who tossed a no-hitter in a win over the Athletes in Action during his summer with the Miners in 2010, was taken by Detroit in the 28th round. Sitz helped the Miners with a 2010 ABL title, posting a 2-0 record with a 2.70 earned run average. He enjoyed a monster senior season with the Seminoles, finishing 10-1 with a team-low 1.59 ERA. He fanned 75 hitters in 90.1 innings.

The trio is now among 43 former Miners to be selected in the MLB draft since 2009.