June 5, 2008
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Notre Dame junior right-handed pitcher Kyle Weiland was selected in the third round, 108th overall, by the Boston Red Sox on Thursday in the 2008 Major League Baseball first year player draft.
Weiland (Albuquerque, N.M.) went 2-2 with a 5.04 earned run average in 26 appearances out of the Irish bullpen. He registered seven saves and fanned 31 (along with just 10 walks) in 30.1 innings of work. Weiland, who finished his Notre Dame career as the all-time leader in saves with 25, posted a 9-9 career record with a 4.17 ERA in 121.0 innings. He struck out 117 batters in his three-year career, two seasons of which came as a closer and one year as a starter.
In 2006, Weiland ranked among the nation’s elite freshmen, receiving top Freshman All-America honors from Baseball America (one of 14 on the first team), Collegiate Baseball and the The Rosenblatt Report/Rivals.com while also being invited to the annual USA Baseball National Team trials. A second team all-BIG EAST selection, he finished third nationally with a school-record 16 saves and compiled a 2.37 ERA that ranked fourth best on the Irish staff.
Due to an injury and lack of pitching depth in 2007, Weiland was forced to move into the starting rotation. He went 5-3 with a 5.66 ERA over 13 appearances and six starts.
Weiland also made a name for himself in summer stints with both the U.S. National Team and the Cape Cod League’s Falmouth Commodores. He was one of 36 players invited to late-June tryouts for 2006 U.S. National Team, but did make the final 21-player final roster (that included just four RHPs). Weiland did, however, make three middle-relief appearances in that tryout phase, striking out five batters in 4.1 total innings (3 ER, 6 H, 4 BB) and registered a save for Red squad.
Weiland had a solid 2007 summer season with Falmouth (2.38, 1-2, SV, 14 GP/1 GS, 22.2 IP, 16 H, 13 BB, 27 Ks) helping the Commodores to a 22-22 record. Falmouth then topped western division rival Bourne in the playoffs, but lost to Yarmouth-Dennis in championship series.
Just four previous Notre Dame pitchers have been drafted in a higher round than Weiland – most notably current big leaguers Brad Lidge (1st round, 1998, Astros) and Aaron Heilman (1st round, 2001, Mets; after supplemental pick between 1st and 2nd round in, 2000, Twins), plus Grant Johnson (2nd round, 2002, Cubs) and Christian Parker (4th round, 1996, Expos).
HIGHEST-DRAFTED PLAYERS IN NOTRE DAME BASEBALL HISTORY
C Ken Plesha (1st round/17th pick; White Sox, 1965)
RHP Brad Lidge (1st round/17th pick; Astros, 1998)
RHP Aaron Heilman (1st round/18th pick; Mets, 2001)
RHP Aaron Heilman (supplemental round/31st overall pick; Twins, 2000; did not sign)
CF Steve Stanley (2nd round; A’s, 2002)
RHP Grant Johnson (2nd round; Cubs, 2004)
RHP Kyle Weiland (3rd round; Red Sox, 2008)
CF Dan Peltier (3rd round; Rangers, 1989)
SS Paul Failla (3rd round; Angels, 1994)
OF Ryan Topham (4th round; White Sox, 1995)
RHP Christian Parker (4th round; Expos, 1996)
3B Matt Macri (5th round; Rockies, 2004)
NOTRE DAME PLAYERS DRAFTED BY THE BOSTON RED SOX
RHP Nick Furlong (5th round, 1968)
1B Dick Licini (2nd round, 1969)
SS Pat Pesavento (24th round, 1987)
SS Alec Porzel (13th round, 2001)
RHP Kyle Weiland (3rd round, 2008)
The first five rounds of the draft were completed on Thursday. The final 45 rounds will be conducted on Friday. Additional draft results will be released as they become available.
Notre Dame Draftees (through five rounds)Name Round (Overall) Team Pos. B/T Ht. Wt. ClassKyle Weiland 3 (#108) Boston Red Sox RHP L/R 6-3 180 Jr.
— ND —