The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

Hansen and five other players selected in First Year Player Draft

     Craig Hansen is not the type of guy who gets rattled or nervous easily.

     The St. John’s junior closer and Big East Pitcher of the Year, has been no stranger to pressure situations against some of the best teams in the country.

     But in the wee hours of the morning on Tuesday with the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft looming only hours away, Hansen found himself unable to sleep — and that was certainly not for lack of being tired.

     The St. John’s baseball team did not arrive home until past midnight after their elimination in the Corvallis, Ore. Regional of the NCAA Tournament and Hansen did not return home until close to 3:30 a.m.

     “I didn’t go to sleep last night even though we got in late,” Hansen said. “Leading up to it, I was getting more and more nervous [too].”

     About ten hours after Hansen returned home from Oregon, at about 1:30 p.m., he was selected with the 26th pick in the draft by the Boston Red Sox.

     Hansen was not the only St. John’s baseball player to be selected in the draft either — six Johnnies were selected, with five going on the first day.

     Starter Anthony Varvaro, who will need Tommy John surgery to repair a torn MCL, was drafted in 12th round by the Seattle Mariners.

     Varvaro, who was expected to go in the first five rounds fell to Seattle in the 12th because he is expected be out at least a year with the injury.

     Center fielder Greg Thomson and shortstop P.J. Antoniato were both chosen in the 15th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Philadelphia Phillies, respectively.

     Catcher Joe Burke was drafted by the New York Yankees in Round 18.

     On the draft’s second day, starter Anthony Sullivan was picked in 19th round by the Los Angeles Angels.

 

Craig Hansen is not the type of guy who gets rattled or nervous easily.

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