Washington State University Athletics
Photo by: Tod Fierner
Block, Alvarez and Sinatro Selected in MLB Draft
June 09, 2019 | Baseball
PULLMAN, Wash. – Three Washington State Cougars and three signees were selected on the final day of the Major League Baseball Draft.
Junior lefthanded pitcher A.J. Block was taken in the 17th round by the Detroit Tigers, senior shortstop Andres Alvarez was selected in the 22nd round by the Pittsburgh Pirates and junior outfielder Danny Sinatro went in the 32nd round to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Cougar Signees for the 2020 season; first baseman Will Simpson out of Skyline High School in Sammamish, Wash. went in the 18th round to the Pirates, lefthanded pitcher Sam Ballard out of Parkland College went in the 28th round to the San Diego Padres and outfielder Brady Hill out of Mt. Spokane High School in Spokane, Wash. was selected in the 39th round by the Colorado Rockies.
This past season, Block made 14 starts and led the Cougars with 68 strikeouts in 71.1 innings while Alvarez was second on the team with a .289 batting average, led the team with 13 doubles and added one triple, two homers, 19 RBI and was 5-for-5 in stolen bases. Alvarez, a native of San Diego, also earned All-Pac-12 Defensive Team honorable mention after finishing the regular season third in the Pac-12 with 131 defensive assists. Sinatro enjoyed a breakout season as a junior, hitting .325 with five doubles, five triples, five stolen bases and 16 RBI and recorded a .351 batting average in Pac-12 play.
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Junior lefthanded pitcher A.J. Block was taken in the 17th round by the Detroit Tigers, senior shortstop Andres Alvarez was selected in the 22nd round by the Pittsburgh Pirates and junior outfielder Danny Sinatro went in the 32nd round to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Cougar Signees for the 2020 season; first baseman Will Simpson out of Skyline High School in Sammamish, Wash. went in the 18th round to the Pirates, lefthanded pitcher Sam Ballard out of Parkland College went in the 28th round to the San Diego Padres and outfielder Brady Hill out of Mt. Spokane High School in Spokane, Wash. was selected in the 39th round by the Colorado Rockies.
This past season, Block made 14 starts and led the Cougars with 68 strikeouts in 71.1 innings while Alvarez was second on the team with a .289 batting average, led the team with 13 doubles and added one triple, two homers, 19 RBI and was 5-for-5 in stolen bases. Alvarez, a native of San Diego, also earned All-Pac-12 Defensive Team honorable mention after finishing the regular season third in the Pac-12 with 131 defensive assists. Sinatro enjoyed a breakout season as a junior, hitting .325 with five doubles, five triples, five stolen bases and 16 RBI and recorded a .351 batting average in Pac-12 play.
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