Braves Select Pitcher Jason Hursh with 31st Overall Pick in 2013 Draft
Is first college right-handed pitcher taken in first round by the Braves since 2005
ATLANTA - The Atlanta Braves tonight selected pitcher Jason Hursh from Oklahoma State University with their first selection (31st overall) in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft.
Hursh, a 6-foot-1, 197-pound redshirt sophomore, garnered All-Big 12 Second Team honors after going 6-5 with a 2.79 ERA (33 ER/106.1 IP) in 16 starts in 2013. He ranked among Big 12 leaders in starts (T-1st), strikeouts (T-2nd, 86), complete games (T-2nd, three) and innings pitched (3rd, 106.1). In two seasons at Oklahoma State, Hursh compiled a 7-6 record with a 2.78 ERA (42 ER/136.0 IP) in 26 games (20 starts), collecting 96 strikeouts. Hursh is the first collegiate right-handed pitcher drafted in the first round by the Braves since they took Joey Devine (North Carolina State) in 2005.
"We are excited to draft Jason and we're looking forward to adding him to our organization," said Tony DeMacio, the Braves' director of scouting. "We feel we chose a pitcher with a real power arm who has a lot of years and innings ahead of him."
A native of Carrollton, Texas, Hursh was named first-team all-state during his senior season at Trinity Christian High School, going 11-2 with a 2.47 ERA and 123 strikeouts in 70.0 innings pitched.
Hursh was drafted in the sixth round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He missed the 2012 collegiate season while recovering from "Tommy John" surgery.
Atlanta's second selection will be the 65th overall pick. The 40-round First-Year Player draft will continue Friday (June 7) at 1:00 p.m. ET with rounds three through 10 and will conclude Saturday (June 8) at 1:00 p.m. ET with rounds 11 through 40. The Braves will select 27th in rounds three through 40.
JASON HURSH'S COLLEGIATE PITCHING RECORD
YEAR CL SCHOOL W-L ERA G GS CG SV IP H R ER HR BB SO
2011 (Fr) Oklahoma St. Univ. 1-1 2.73 10 4 0 0 29.2 35 10 9 0 12 10
2012 - Oklahoma St. Univ. Redshirt (Injured) - Did not play
2013 (So) Oklahoma St. Univ. 6-5 2.79 16 16 3 0 106.1 105 45 33 4 28 86
TOTALS 7-6 2.78 26 20 3 0 136.0 140 55 42 4 40 96