Two more members of the Iowa baseball team were selected during the third day of the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Wednesday.
Nick Gallagher
Junior Nick Gallagher was drafted early on the third day. The right-hander went in the 16th round to the Cleveland Indians as the 492nd draft pick.
Gallagher’s selection comes after a season in which he notched the role as the Friday starter for the Hawkeyes. He compiled an 8-2 record over 16 appearances (15 starts).
Proving to be the most reliable arm on the staff, the Iowa City native spun a 3.48 ERA in 95 innings.
Ryan Erickson
Next to have his name called was senior Ryan Erickson, who was drafted late in the 30th round by the Chicago White Sox, the 897th pick.
Erickson had an outstanding season as Iowa’s second-most consistent pitcher behind Gallagher, posting a 4.15 ERA in the 2017 season.
The 6-3 left-hander from Mason City, Iowa, made 16 appearances (12 starts) for the Hawkeyes. His late season was especially impressive, allowing only 2 earned runs in 12 innings.
Gallagher and Erickson join teammates Jake Adams and Mason McCoy as the Hawkeyes to get drafted in this year’s draft.
Adams was the first Hawkeye to hear his name called, coming in the sixth round by the Houston Astros. He was the 181st pick, Iowa’s highest draft pick since 1999.
He had a record-breaking season that left many in awe, leading the NCAA with 29 home runs.
McCoy was drafted soon after, in the sixth round of the draft by the Baltimore Orioles as the 188th pick.
McCoy’s selection was something the shortstop from Washington, Illinois, had patiently waited for after last year’s draft ended in disappointment.
McCoy earned All-Big Ten honors this season, ending his Hawkeye career hitting .328 with 55 runs scored.
Iowa head coach Rick Heller has now had 15 players drafted since taking over the program in 2013.
Heller has continued the Hawkeye tradition of having at least one player picked in each draft dating back to the 2007 season.
The 2017 MLB draft closed out last night and proved to be the icing on the cake for these four Hawkeyes and head coach Rick Heller.
