June 6, 2008

BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The University of Notre Dame baseball team had one of its most successful draft classes ever as six current players and one incoming recruit were selected by Major League Baseball teams during the 2008 First-Year Player Draft.

After junior closer Kyle Weiland was selected on the first day (third round, Boston Red Sox), five more were drafted Friday on the second and final day. The six collegiate players drafted are tied for the most ever for the Irish, equaling the total from the 2001 draft.

Notre Dame junior right-handed pitcher David Phelps, senior left-handed hurler Wade Korpi, junior righty Brett Graffy, junior southpaw Sam Elam and senior shortstop Brett Lilley were all taken between the 14th and 29th rounds.

Phelps (Hazelwood, Mo.) was chosen in the 14th round with the 440th pick overall by the New York Yankees. Phelps, who will join the Hyannis Mets of the Cape Cod League tomorrow, went 5-5 with a 4.65 earned run average in 14 starts. He tossed 93.0 innings and allowed 102 hits along with 75 strikeouts. Phelps, a third team all-BIG EAST selection in 2008, worked at least five innings in 13 of this 14 starts this season and pitched into the seventh inning on seven different occasions. After two consecutive poor outings (against St. John’s on Apr. 26 and UConn on May 2), Phelps rebounded with two straight dynamite performances against Pittsburgh on May 9 and USF on May 15. He allowed just two earned runs in 14.0 innings. Phelps fanned 12 and walked five over the stretch.

A first team all-BIG EAST choice in 2007, Phelps registered one of the best seasons in Irish history. He held the rare distinction of being one of six pitchers in the nation with an earned-run average under 2.00 (1.88; 10th-best in the nation), eight or more victories (8-5) and 100-plus strikeouts (102). He ended up leading the BIG EAST in ERA and strikeouts while ranking second with 110.1 innings pitched, sixth in wins and seventh in low opponent batting average (.236). Phelps allowed 0-2 earned runs in 11 of his 15 starts during the 2007 season and became one of just four Irish pitchers in the past 12 seasons to post four or more nine-inning complete games in a season (4, plus one in which he pitched 8.0 innings).

Korpi (Lake Worth, Fla.), the 2006 BIG EAST Tournament MVP, was selected in the 20th round with the 598th overall pick by the Florida Marlins. In 2008, he returned to the form that saw the southpaw finish 2006 with a 7-2 record and 2.00 ERA. He went 6-3 on the season with a 3.59 ERA in 77.2 innings of work. He fanned 58 and walked 39 in 13 starts. Korpi was even better in BIG EAST games. The senior went 4-2 with a 2.98 ERA in nine starts. Korpi fanned 41 and surrendered 52 hits in 54.1 innings of work as opponents hit just .250 against him.

A second team all-BIG EAST pick in 2008, Korpi finished his Notre Dame career tied for sixth all-time in starts (44) and eighth in strikeouts (227).

Elam (Mesquite, Texas) was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 23rd round and 707th overall selection. He posted record-setting low hit totals over his three-year Irish career. He surrendered just 23 hits in 45.0 career innings, which is an average of only 4.6 hits per nine innings. Opponents hit just .145 against Elam. His career highlight came during the 2007 season when he nearly registered the 10th known no-hitter in Notre Dame history. Elam went 7.2 innings before allowing a hit and settled with the first one-hitter for the Irish since 2002.

Graffy (Homer Glen, Ill.) was chosen in the 24th round with the 720th overall pick by the Chicago White Sox. He went 1-0 with a 6.75 earned run average in 2008. Graffy fanned eight in 10.2 innings of work. He finished his career with a 6-2 record and 5.14 ERA in 35 appearances (four starts). Graffy, who excels low in the zone, averaged 12.5 groundouts per nine innings (101 ground outs in 75.1 career innings). He gained tremendous notice after his summer in 2007 with the Falmouth Commodores. Graffy went 0-2 with a pair of saves and a 0.89 ERA in 20.2 innings.

Lilley (North Canton, Ohio) was taken in the 29th round, as a second baseman, with the 875th overall pick by the St. Louis Cardinals. He reached base in 53 of 55 games this past season, hit .297 with seven doubles, two triples, nine stolen bases, two home runs and 34 RBI. Lilley led the Irish in runs scored (62), walks (31), hit by pitches (31) and on-base percentage (.459). He also became the first player in Notre Dame history to ever earn first team Academic All-America honors in consecutive seasons.

Lilley’s career on-base percentage of .479 ranks fourth all-time at Notre Dame. A large chunk of his times on base have come via the hit-by-pitch (109), placing him first in NCAA history. Lilley was the seventh Notre Dame baseball player ever to be named all-BIG EAST three or more times, earning third team honors in 2007 (second team, 2006; third team, 2005) while leading the Irish in 11 categories and ranking second in five others. His BIG EAST-leading .512 on-base percentage in 2007 ranked 11th in the nation and was seventh in Notre Dame history (second-best since the early 1990s). Lilley also ended up with the sixth-best batting average among BIG EAST players (.371), also ranking ninth in runs (55) and 11th in walks (31), and he reached base in all but three of the 56 games in 2007.

Lilley, the 2005 BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, is all over the Irish career record book. He is tied for fourth in sacrifice bunts (30) and tied for fifth in total sacrifices (38). Lilley also ranks among the top 10 all-time in the following categories: games played (231, 7th), games started (231, 4th), at-bats (816, 5th), hits (274, 6th), runs scored (212, 4th), walks (122, 7th) and assists (571, 5th).

Notre Dame recruit Steve Sabatino (Lockport, Ill.) was chosen in the 42nd round with the 1260th overall pick by the Chicago White Sox. MLB clubs generally retain the rights to sign a selected player until August 15, or until the player enters, or returns to, a four-year college on a full-time basis.

2008 Notre Dame Draftees