June 6, 2013
| 
Photo Gallery | Jagielo Career Stats
|
- Yanks nab Notre Dame third baseman 26th (MLB.com)
- Jagielo picked 26th by Yankees (IrishIllustrated.com)
- Yankees go for Jagielo in Major League Baseball draft (New York Daily News)
- Yankees select Jagielo with their first overall pick of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft (Yankees.com)
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame junior 3B Eric Jagielo was selected 26th overall by the New York Yankees in Thursday’s first round of the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft. His selection equals the fifth highest an Irish player has ever been taken in MLB draft history.
Ken Plesha (1965, Chicago White Sox), Brad Lidge (1998, Houston Astros) and A.J. Pollock (2009, Arizona Diamondbacks) were each chosen 17th overall in their respective drafts. Aaron Heilman (2001, New York Mets) went 21st overall.
Jagielo, just the third position player from Notre Dame ever drafted in the first round, becomes the fifth Irish player in the last 14 years of the draft to be taken either in the first round or as a Compensation A pick.
“It’s really hard to put this feeling into words,” said Jagielo. “People always say `this is a dream come true,’ but honestly I’m not sure I could have ever imagined it. You find yourself on pins and needles throughout the day waiting to hear your name called and when you hear it, you almost don’t realize what just happened.
“I’m forever blessed to represent the University of Notre Dame and now I get to do the same for the New York Yankees. I still can’t believe it.”
“Eric is one of the most talented hitters that I’ve ever been around,” said Notre Dame head coach Mik Aoki. “The talent was readily apparent when I saw him for the first time. What I’m probably most proud of is that he’s worked so diligently to make the most of that talent. His selection today is a testament to that talent and hard work.
“Most importantly though, he is a person of great character and integrity. He will represent himself, his family, the University of Notre Dame and his organization in an exemplary manner in what I hope will be a long successful professional baseball career.”
Jagielo not only led the BIG EAST in slugging percentage (.633) and on-base percentage (.500), but also ranked second in batting average (.388), tied for second in home runs (nine), tied for fourth in total bases (124), fifth in doubles (19), tied for fifth in RBI (53), eighth in walks (35), eighth in hits (76) and tied for 10th in runs scored (47).
Only five players in the entire country have both a higher batting average (.388) and more home runs (nine) than Jagielo. He fell three base hits shy of becoming the first Notre Dame player to bat .400 over the course of an entire season since Cooper in 2006 (.425). Jagielo would have been the 10th player in the 120-year history of Irish baseball to accomplish the feat.
Jagielo ranked second on the team in multi-hit games (23) and led the club in multi-RBI outings (16). He was held hitless in just eight of his 56 games played this year. Jagielo has failed to reach base in a game just twice all year.
Jagielo was named the 2013 BIG EAST Player of the Year. He was the fourth player in school history to earn the conference’s top honor and first since Craig Cooper in 2006. Notre Dame’s two other BIG EAST player of the year winners include Brant Ust (1998) and Steve Stanley (2001 and 2002).
Jagielo’s three-year career numbers, include a .321 batting average (201-for-626), 112 runs scored, 47 doubles, two triples, 27 home runs, 124 RBI, 333 total bases, .532 slugging percentage, 88 walks, 25 hit by pitch, 97 strikeouts, .420 on-base percentage, nine sacrifice flies, five sacrifice hits, 12-24 stolen bases, 235 putouts and 189 assists.
Jagielo gained tremendous momentum heading into his draft eligible year following his performance last summer with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod League. He was not only named team MVP following the ’12 season, but also earned all-Cape Cod League. Jagielo batted .291 with 27 runs scored, 46 hits, four doubles, two triples, 13 home runs and 29 RBI. He ranked second in the league in home runs and tied for 10th in RBI.
Jagielo is the 16th Notre Dame player selected in the top five rounds over the past 23 years, dating back to the 1989 draft. He is, through, just the sixth position player in the same span.
The three-day draft continues on Friday and Saturday. Check back to www.und.com and @NDBaseball for further draft updates.
JAGIELO’S HONORS & AWARDS
- 2013 BIG EAST Player of the Year
- 2013 First Team All-BIG EAST
- 2013 Louisville Slugger Third Team All-American
- 2013 Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist
- 2013 Golden Spikes Award Midseason watch list
- 2013 Golden Spikes Award watch list
- 2013 Preseason Baseball America Third Team All-American
- 2013 Preseason Coaches First Team All-BIG EAST
- 2013 Preseason Perfect Game First Team All-BIG EAST
- 2012 Cape Cod League Post-Season All-League
- 2012 Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star
- 2012 Cape Cod League Home Run Derby participant
- BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (Mar. 18, 2013)
- BIG EAST Player of the Week (Mar. 11, 2013)
- BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (Feb. 25, 2013)
- BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (Feb. 18, 2013)
- 2012 Second Team All-BIG EAST
- 2012 College Sports Madness First Team All-BIG EAST
- 2012 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Second Team Mid-East All-Region
- 2011 New England Collegiate League All-Star
JAGIELO’S PLACE IN THE IRISH RECORD BOOKS
- Single-Season Batting Average (2013, .388, 22nd)
- Single-Season OPS (2013, 1.133, 11th)
— ND —