A's select three players on Day 1 of First-Year Player Draft
OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland A's selected outfielder Billy McKinney from Plano West High School in Plano, Texas with the 24th selection in the first round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft, the club announced today. The A's chose left-handed pitcher Dillon Overton from the University of Oklahoma in the 2nd round and shortstop Chad Pinder from Virginia Tech in Competitive Balance Round B.
McKinney batted .372 with four home runs and 17 RBI as a senior for Plano West. He added 36 walks and was hit by a pitch eight times for a .585 on-base percentage. The left-handed hitter struck out just six times and stole seven bases in eight attempts. This marks the second consecutive season the A's selected a high school player in the first round as Oakland drafted shortstop Addison Russell from Pace HS last year. Prior to that, the A's had not drafted a high school player in the first round since Jeremy Bonderman in 2001. McKinney is the fourth position player the A's have chosen in the first round in the last five years along with Russell (2012), Michael Choice (2010) and Grant Green (2009). The A's drafted right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray in the first round in 2011.
Overton is 9-2 with a 2.91 ERA in 15 games, including 13 starts, with Oklahoma. He has 76 strikeouts and 22 walks in 86.2 innings. The 63rd overall selection, Dillon is 23-9 with a 2.86 ERA in 60 career appearances in three seasons with the Sooners. He has 261 strikeouts and 79 walks in 283.2 innings. Oklahoma plays at Louisiana State in the NCAA Super Regionals beginning Friday.
Pinder was a First Team All-ACC selection after batting .321 with eight home runs and 50 RBI in 60 games with the Hokies. He added 21 walks and was hit by a pitch 14 times for a .404 on-base percentage. The 71st selection overall, Pinder is the son of Chris Pinder, who was drafted by Baltimore in the seventh round in 1987 and played in the minors with the Orioles and Indians.
The draft resumes tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. with rounds three through 10 and concludes Saturday at 10:00 am with rounds 11 through 40.