Horizon League baseball players join professional ranks

June 7, 2006

Fairborn, Ohio - With the 94th pick in the 3rd round of the 2006 MLB First Year Player Draft, Wright State relief pitcher Joe Smith was chosen by the New York Mets. Smith, the Horizon League Pitcher of the Year, helped the Raiders to their best record in five season and recorded a league-high 13 saves while posting a 3-1 record in 2006.

Smith threw 55 innings for the Green and Gold this season and compiled a 0.98 ERA, allowing only 6 earned runs in 31 outings. The sidewinding righty allowed only 34 hits, only five for extra-bases, and held opposing batters to an average of .179 during his junior campaign.

"This is a big day for Joe, I am very excited for him and his family." Wright State head coach Rob Cooper said "Joe is an extremely hard worker and his dedication makes his deserving of a top-100 choice in this draft."

Smith, a native of Cincinnati, has posted 22 saves during his three seasons with the Raiders and posted 145 career strikeouts to only 39 walks. The junior becomes the third pitcher since 2001 to be drafted and the third Raider to be chosen by the New York Mets organization, joining Sean Gill and Bob Grote.

"Our program is sad to see Joe leave, but we are proud he has achieved this goal and look forward to watching as he gets the chance to pitch at the next level and develop into a major league talent." Coach Cooper added

Smith was recently named WSU's Male Athlete of the Year as well as team MVP. He is the highest drafted Wright State player since pitcher Brian Anderson was taken third overall in the 1993 draft.

Story provided by Wright State University Office of Sports Information

Chicago, Ill. - UIC senior catcher Justin Johnson was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2006 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Johnson was selected in the 16th round with the 475th overall pick in the draft by the Baltimore Orioles organization.

The two-time All-Horizon League First Team honoree concluded hiscollegiate career this past season with a .395 batting average, acareer-best 11 home runs, 57 RBI and 18 doubles.

In two seasons at UIC, Johnson posted a career average of .377(143-for-379) with 19 homers, 118 RBI and 94 runs scored. Johnson led the Horizon League with a slugging percentage of .703 in 2006, and he topped the league in RBI in 2004.

This is the second time in three years that a UIC player has been draftedby the Orioles. Former Flames hurler David Haehnel was drafted in the 8thround of the 2004 draft by Baltimore.

Story provided by UIC Office of Sports Information

Milwaukee, Wis. - Senior Mike Goetz of UW-Milwaukee has been selected in the 25th round of the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Goetz, who was named an All-American last week, becomes the first Panther to be chosen in the MLB Draft since 2002.

"It is really just a dream come true for me," Goetz said. "It has always been a goal of mine, but it just seemed so far-fetched at times. It was never a given and something that I had to work for the whole way."

Goetz just finished his senior season at UWM, earning Horizon League Player of the Year honors as well as being named a member of the All-League First Team. He reached base safely in all 57 games during the season, recording hits in all but two games. He put together hitting streaks of 32 and 27 games, concluding the season with a school-record .493 batting average, which currently leads the nation. In addition to the nation's best average, he also tops the country with his .579 on-base percentage and 111 hits.

"It has been an honor for me to work with Mike and has been exciting to see what someone can accomplish when they put their mind to it," Milwaukee assistant head coach Scott Doffek said. "This has been a dream of Mike's and is an honor for Mike and for the program. The Brewers are getting a quality individual and player."

Goetz becomes the 15th different UWM player to be drafted in the history of the program. The last, John Vanden Berg, was tabbed in the 35th round of the 2002 draft, also by the Brewers.

"It's just unbelievable," Goetz, a native of Franklin, Wis., said. "And if I had to choose a team for it to be, it would defenitely have been the Brewers."

Story provided by UW-Milwaukee Office of Sports Information

Youngstown, Ohio - Youngstown State senior Brandon Caipen was selected by the Houston Astros in the 28th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Caipen, a 6-foot utility player from Tallmadge, Ohio, was the 849th overall selection and the ninth YSU player to be drafted or sign a pro contract in the last eight years. He is also only the second position player to be drafted out of Youngstown State and the first since 1999.

"As a kid you dream about being drafted but never really think it will actually happen," Caipen said. "Even before and during my time at Youngstown State I had my doubts, but it's just an unbelievable feeling right now. I'm just excited to get the chance to keep my career going."

Caipen was a four-year starter at YSU, playing right field as a freshman and sophomore before splitting time at catcher and outfield in his final two season. He said he will need to use his versatility in the field after being drafted to play third base, a position he hasn't played since high school.

A First-Team All-Horizon League selection as a utility player as a junior and senior, Caipen finished out his collegiate career by posting career-best numbers in hits, batting average, home runs, RBIs and runs scored. His 76 hits in 2006 rank as the fourth-highest season total in school history, and he led the Penguins in runs scored with 47. He also hit five home runs, drove in 45 runs and doubled 18 times.

Caipen hit .301 with 28 runs scored and 20 RBIs as a junior, and he ranked second in hitting at .299 as a sophomore on YSU's NCAA Tournament team. He was also named to the Horizon League's All-Newcomer Team as a freshman, hitting .321 with 35 runs scored, 33 RBIs and three home runs. He finished his career as the school record holder in at bats with 785, and he ranks third in career hits with 247, third in runs scored with 139 and fourth in RBIs with 122.

Story provided by Youngstown State University Office of Sports Information