Northwoods Thunder Bay Border Cats

Seven Former Border Cats Selected In Mlb Draft

June 8, 2013 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Thunder Bay Border Cats News Release


A total of seven former Thunder Bay Border Cats were selected in the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft that concluded on Saturday. 

 

Outfielder Justin Higley (2012), from Sacramento State University, was selected in the 13th round (401st overall) by the Oakland Athletics.  Higley played in 28 games for the Border Cats last year before being sidelined by a season ending knee injury.  He batted .216 with two home runs and 10 runs batted in.

 

Pitcher Garrett Hughes (2012), from Stanford University, was taken in the 19th round (582nd overall) by the San Francisco Giants.  The 6'8", 245 pound lefthander started seven games for the Cats last season and went 3-1 with a 3.64 earned run average.

 

Shortstop Brett Kay, who played two years in Thunder Bay in 2011-12, was chosen in the 20th round (612th overall) by the San Francisco Giants.  Kay, from Illinois State University, batted .320 in 64 games last season with one home run and 30 RBI's.  He was twice named the Rawlings "Finest in the Field" award winner as the top defensive shortstop in the NWL.  Kay also captured the 2012 Rawlings "Big Stick" award as the top offensive shortstop in the league and was named to the 2012 NWL Post-Season All Star team. 

 

Third baseman Adam Landecker (2012), from the University of Southern California, was selected in the 21st round (629th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Landecker played in 39 games last season and hit .283 with one home run and 32 runs batted in.

 

Second baseman Andrew Ayers (2012), from Sacramento State University, was taken in the 30th round (894th overall) by the Kansas City Royals.  Ayers played the second half of the 2012 season for Thunder Bay and batted .200 with one home run and 11 RBI's in 20 games.

 

Pitcher John Straka (2011), from North Dakato Skate University, was chosen in the 32nd round (970th overall) by the Texas Rangers.  Straka made the NWL All Star team in 2011 as he posted a 6-3 record in 13 games with a 2.84 ERA.

 

Catcher Danny Bethea (2012), from St. John's University, was selected in the 34th round (1,013th overall) by the Boston Red Sox.  Bethea played in 35 games last season and hit .305 with two home runs and 25 runs batted in.



Northwoods League Stories from June 8, 2013


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