Ten Gauchos realized their dreams of being selected in the 2019 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
A groundbreaking season for the UCSB baseball team ended in disappointing fashion with consecutive losses at the Stanford Regional, but there is no question about the overall talent level of the team and that was confirmed over the course of the three-day draft.
UCSB had five players selected on the second day of the draft and set a program record with five players selected in the first eight rounds. With five more players drafted on Wednesday there were a total of ten Gauchos drafted over the three-day event.
UCSB closer Chris Lincoln was the first UCSB player drafted in the 5th round (143rd overall) by the San Diego Padres. Starting pitcher Ben Brecht was selected shortly thereafter in the 5th round (158th overall).
Lincoln was selected in the 13th round by the Toronto Blue Jays out of high school and improved his draft positioning immensely with an electric career at UCSB
Junior catcher Eric Yang, a finalist for the Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award, was selected in the seventh round (204th overall). Junior outfielder Armani Smith was selected by the San Francisco Giants two picks later (206th overall). Smith was selected in the 35th round by the Cleveland Indians out of high school and exploded in his junior season with a .323 batting average and 11 home runs.
Tevin Mitchell was the final UCSB player selected on day two in round eight by the Miami Marlins (231st overall).
On day three, five more Gauchos were selected including, Jack Dashwood, Tommy Jew, Thomas Rowan, Shea Barry and Andrew Martinez.
Dashwood had an outstanding 2019 campaign with a 9-2 record and 2.48 ERA. The Los Angeles Angels selected him in the 12th round. Jew flashed speed and power in his junior campaign, finishing with 11 home runs and 20 stolen bases. The St. Louis Cardinals selected him in the 13th round.
The Miami Marlins selected Santa Ynez High product Thomas Rowan in the 20th round. Rowan slugged a team-high 13 home runs.
Relief pitcher Shea Barry was drafted in the 22nd round by the Houston Astros and infielder Andrew Martinez was selected in the 24th round by the Baltimore Orioles to round out a historic draft for UCSB.