Ten #HLBase Players Taken In MLB Draft

Daulton Varsho, Milwaukee / Arizona Diamondbacks / Round 2, Pick 68

MILWAUKEE (Courtesy Milwaukee Media Relations) - Daulton Varsho of the Milwaukee baseball team was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 68th pick on Day 1 of the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft late Monday night.

"It's a dream come true," Varsho said. "I was brought up around the clubhouse and have always wanted to be a professional baseball player. And now I have that chance. I got a phone call telling me I was going to the Arizona Diamondbacks and my heart almost dropped."

Varsho, who spent the night with close friends and family at his home, was chosen in the Competitive Balance Round B, which immediately followed the second round and was made up of selections No. 68 to 75. These picks are given by MLB to small market and small payroll teams to help foster competitive balance.

"It was a great feeling," Varsho said. "I am just so excited to get out and ready to play. I will find out more on where I am heading in the next day or so, tonight is a chance to enjoy it and spend it with my family."

At pick No. 68, Varsho not only becomes the highest selection in Milwaukee program history, but also one of the highest in the history of the Horizon League. Only Youngstown State's Brad Hennessey (Pick No. 21 in the First Round, 2001) was higher in the history of the conference.

"We are very happy for Daulton," Milwaukee head coach Scott Doffek said. "He has worked his tail off to get this opportunity. He is the complete package … everything you look for in a student athlete. He is a great student, great teammate, great player and most importantly, just a great person."

The prior highest draft pick for the Panthers was Joshua Uhen, selected in the fifth round of the 2013 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers,

"We have been blessed to be part of his journey and couldn't be more excited to watch him grow in a Diamondbacks uniform," Doffek said.

Varsho had an impressive junior campaign, earning Baseball America Third Team All-American honors after leading the Horizon League in batting average (.362), slugging percentage (.643), on-base percentage (.490), triples (6) and walks (46), while also finishing fourth in total bases (128), fifth in hits (72), sixth with a team-high 11 home runs and seventh in runs scored (47).

Varsho has received numerous awards this year, starting way back in December when he became the first UWM baseball player to be named a Preseason All-American (by Collegiate Baseball). He went on to become a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award and was also named to the 2017 Horizon League Baseball All-Academic Team.

Varsho, a Second-Team All-Horizon League honoree in 2017 and the Horizon League Player of the Year in 2016 as a sophomore, becomes the 19th Milwaukee baseball player all-time to be drafted and the first by the Diamondbacks. The Panthers have now had 10 players get drafted since 2011.

"I have learned a lot," Varsho said of his time at UWM. "The coaches have done so much for me. I can't thank them enough and I can't thank the program enough. I am very grateful to Scotty (Coach Doffek) for taking a chance on me out of high school and wanting me to be a Panther."

#HLBase Players Drafted
Daulton Varsho, Milwaukee / Arizona Diamondbacks / Round 2, Pick 68
Connor Ryan, UIC / Cincinnati Reds / Round 8, Pick 227
Zach Sterry, Oakland / Boston Red Sox / Round 8, Pick 251
Rob Calabrese, UIC / San Francisco Giants / Round 10, Pick 306
Mickey McDonald, UIC / Oakland Athletics / Round 18, Pick 531
David Cronin, UIC / Chicago White Sox / Round 20, Pick 597
Jake Dahlberg, UIC / St. Louis Cardinals / Round 21, Pick 634
Adam Reuss, Milwaukee / Oakland Athletics / Round 29, Pick 861
Cody Bohanek, UIC / Houston Astros / Round 30, Pick 901
Trey Ganns, Northern Kentucky / Boston Red Sox / Round 35, Pick 1061