Coward taken by Cardinals on third day of MLB Draft

With two overall picks, the Hokies extend their streak to 10 straight years with multiple selections

June 6, 2018

BLACKSBURG – On the final day of the 2018 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, Virginia Tech pitcher Connor Coward was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 26th round with the 783rd overall pick which extends the Hokies’ streak of at least two players chosen in the MLB draft to 10 straight years.

Coward, a senior from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the eighth Tech player selected by the Cardinals, which ties the Philadelphia Phillies for the most Tech draft choices. Six of those picks by St. Louis have been pitchers, highlighted by Brad DuVall's first-round selection (23rd pick) in the 1988 draft. Teammate Randy Berline (IF) was also taken in that year's draft in the 25th round. The last four Hokies selected by the Cardinals have been pitchers - Jon Hand (1998, 25th round), Justin Wright (2010, 47th), Ronnie Shaban (2012, 33rd) and Coward.

Tech’s string of 10 straight years with multiple choices in the MLB draft is the longest stretch ever in program history. The longest prior to the current streak was a pair of three straight drafts with at least two picks – the 1981 through 1983 drafts and the 1988 through 1990 drafts.

In all, Tech has had multiple players chosen in 25 of the 53 years of the draft. Also, during its current run (since 2009), the Hokies have seen 28 different players chosen in the draft with 22 of them never being drafted prior to their arrival in Blacksburg, which includes the last five - Coward, Andrew McDonald (2018); Packy Naughton and Aaron McGarity (2017) and Saige Jenco (2016).

In the 53 years of the MLB First-Year Player Draft, 76 Hokies have been chosen a total of 103 times. Taking in account all baseball drafts, Tech players have been selected 113 times. For more information on the Hokies’ history in the draft, CLICK HERE.

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