Mat-Su outfielder selected; 10 former Miners taken in MLB Draft

PALMER — Mat-Su Miners outfielder Vance Vizcaino added another note to his growing baseball resume earlier this week.

Vizcaino, a redshirt sophomore who recently capped his first season at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, was selected by the Arizona Dimondbacks in the 31st round of the Major League Baseball Draft Wednesday. But this wasn’t something new for the former North Carolina prep standout who also spent a year at the University of Tennessee earlier in his college career. This is the third time Vizcaino has been drafted.

“Every single time, it’s always a thrill, that’s for sure,” Vizcaino said.

Vizcaino was first drafted out of Wakefield High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, by the New York Mets in the 31st round. Vizcaino opted to instead start his career at the University of Tennessee.

In 2014, Vizcaino, again draft eligible, was picked by Kansas City in the 29th round. Vizcaino said he doesn’t fixate too much on watching the results during the three-day draft this time around.

“First couple days I always watch, and by the third, I’m like, you know what, lets just go and have a normal day, and everyone else seems to find out before I do, and I get a bunch of texts,” Vizcaino said.

Even though he’s been selected by Arizona, Vizcaino said his focus, at least right now, is playing for the Miners.

“We’ll see what happens after summer ball,” Vizcaino said. “Let everything play, and let the chips fall where they may.”

Vizcaino led Stetson with a .341 batting average during the 2015 college season. He also finished with 79 hits, 16 doubles, 44 runs, five triples and 38 RBI.

“Vance has got a bright future ahead of him,” Miners head coach Ben Taylor said. “He’s a couple of jumps away from being a real special player.”

Former Miners selected

Former Mat-Su Miner outfielder Christin Stewart, the 2013 Alaska Baseball League Player of the Year, was selected by the Detroit Tigers with the 31st pick in the first round of the MLB Draft Monday.

“I think it’s fantastic. It couldn’t happen to a more deserving kid. And it’s another feather in this cap for this franchise,” Taylor, who coached Stewart in the Valley in 2013, said of the University of Tennessee standout.

Stewart is the highest former Miner picked in the draft since former Mat-Su outfielder and Florida State standout James Ramsey was taken by St. Louis 23rd overall in the first round in 2012.

Stewart was one of seven players from Mat-Su’s 2013 squad taken in the draft, and 10 former Miners. Three of the seven alumni from the 2013 squad were selected by Detroit. The Tigers also picked Dallas Baptist pitcher Drew Smith in the third round and Tennessee shortstop A.J. Simcox in the 14th round. Simcox earned the ABL’s Silver Slugger Award in 2013. Stewart, Smith and Simcox were also named first-team All-ABL that summer.

Another 2013 All-ABL first-team selection for the Miners, Gio Brusa, was also drafted. The University of Pacific outfielder was taken by St. Louis in the 23rd round.

Cody Ponce, a pitcher on the 2013 squad, was taken in the second round of the draft. Milwaukee selected the California Poly Pomona pitcher with the 55th pick. Another member of that team, Dalton Kelly, was taken by Seattle in the 38th round.

Stewart was also one of two Miners to earn ABL Player of the Year honors to be selected. Cameron Newell, a University of California-Santa Barbara outfielder and the 2014 ABL Player of the Year, was taken by the Miami Marlins in the 35th round.

Ian Sagdal, a Mat-Su infielder on the 2012 squad was taken by the Washington Nationals in the 16th round. Two pitchers from the 2012 squad were also selected. Harvard's Tanner Anderson was taken by Pittsburgh in the 20th and Washington's Tyler Davis was picked by Texas in the 23rd.