A's Select Third Baseman Matt Chapman in First Round of First-Year Player Draft
OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland A's selected third baseman Matt Chapman from Cal State-Fullerton with the 25th selection in the first round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, the club announced today.
Chapman, a 6-2, 215-pound junior, batted .312 with six home runs and a team-leading 48 RBI this season for the Titans. He walked 27 times against just 26 strikeouts and finished the season with a .412 on-base percentage. The right-handed hitter also hit 16 doubles and stole six bases in eight attempts. The Trabuco Canyon, Calif., native was named to the First Team All-Big West Conference team following the 2014 season.
This marks the sixth time in the last seven years the A's have drafted a position player with their first-round pick, along with Billy McKinney (2013), Addison Russell (2012), Michael Choice (2010), Grant Green (2009) and Jemile Weeks (2008). The A's drafted right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray in the first round in 2011. It also marks the first time the A's have drafted a college player in the first round since Gray was selected out of Vanderbilt University three years ago.
The Athletics have one more pick tonight, their second round pick (65th selection overall), which is expected to be announced shortly after 8 p.m. PDT. The draft resumes Friday morning at 10:05 a.m. PDT with rounds three through 10, and concludes Saturday at 10:05 a.m. PDT with rounds 11 through 40.