Braun And Carrillo Taken In The First Round Of 2005 MLB Draft

June 8, 2005

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Two Miami Hurricanes were selected in the first round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft Tuesday for the first time in the program’s illustrious 60-year history. Junior third baseman Ryan Braun was selected fifth overall by the Milwaukee Brewers and junior pitcher Cesar Carrillo was the 18th overall pick, going to the San Diego Padres.

Junior catcher Gaby Sanchez (126th overall) was selected in the fourth round by the Florida Marlins and senior second baseman Paco Figueroa (273rd overall) was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth round.

Braun is the highest overall draft pick from Miami since Pat Burrell was the first overall pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1998 draft, and he is the third-highest draft pick in school history. Burrell and Alex Fernandez (fourth overall pick of the Chicago White Sox, 1990) are the only Hurricane baseball alumni to be selected higher than Braun.

Carrillo is the first Hurricane pitcher since Fernandez to be drafted in the first round.

Braun leads the Hurricanes with 18 home runs, 70 runs scored, 75 RBIs and is batting .396. He is a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. Carrillo garnered national attention by winning the first 24 decisions of his collegiate career and is the 2005 ACC Pitcher of the Year.

Figueroa is having a career year for Miami, posting career bests in at bats (225), home runs (four), RBIs (36) and is hitting .356. He was honored as a Second Team All-ACC selection as an outfielder this season.

Sanchez compiled a .322 career average with 37 doubles, 14 home runs and 103 RBIs in two seasons with the Hurricanes.

	Name	        Rd (Selection)  Overall Pick	Team	Ryan Braun	1 (5th)		5th 		Milwaukee Brewers	Cesar Carrillo	1 (18th)	18th 		San Diego Padres	Gaby Sanchez	4 (16th)	126th		Florida Marlins	Paco Figueroa	9 (13th)	273rd		Baltimore Orioles

More Hurricanes are expected to be selected in the remaining 32 rounds of the draft on Wednesday.