Diamond Notes : Kent Matthes Taken in 4th Round of MLB Draft

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June 10, 2009

Colorado Rockies take UA slugger with 121st overall pick

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Alabama right fielder Kent Matthes was taken in the fourth round of the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Wednesday by the Colorado Rockies. He was the 121st overall selection of the draft and the 10th player selected on day two of the three-day draft.

The Orlando, Fla., native is the 118th Crimson Tide player to be taken in the MLB Draft since its inception in 1966. He is the 19th Tide player to be drafted in the first four rounds of the draft.

It's been quite a year for Matthes, who has gone from undrafted to SEC Player of the Year to the Rockies fourth round selection.

"This is my first time getting drafted, so I am extremely excited," Matthes said from his home in Orlando, Fla. "I got the call from the Rockies and I was able to share that moment with my parents and friends here and that was special. I am excited to be chosen by the Colorado Rockies. They have a great organization and were in the World Series recently. They have a good tradition and I am looking forward to starting my career with them soon."

Matthes said he has spoken to the team once today and that he would talk to the team again tonight to start working on the details of his contract and where he would be assigned in the organization.

"I spoke with them earlier and we are going to talk again tonight," Matthes added. "We will start working on the details tonight and hopefully I can be headed out somewhere the first of next week, or maybe by this weekend.

"I have worked hard to get to this point and I am looking forward to playing pro baseball. This was a special moment to share with my family and now I am looking forward to going out there to play baseball."

The senior was named the 2009 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and is a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, presented to the college player of the year by USA Baseball. He was also a semi-finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, presented to the college baseball player of the year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

He hit .365 with 28 home runs and 81 RBI for the Crimson Tide this season. He led the SEC in home runs, RBI, total bases (174) and slugging percentage (.883). He was also third in runs scored (65) and sixth in hitting this season.

Matthes set the Alabama single-season record with 28 home runs, which tied him for the national home run lead with Middle Tennessee State's Bryce Brentz. Matthes is the fifth NCAA statistical national champion in school history. He broke the UA single-season home run record with his 28th home run against South Carolina on May 20 at the SEC Tournament. He slugged his 27th home run of the season in the Tide's regular season finale at Auburn on May 16 to tie Doug Duke's single-season home run record set in 1986.

He has four multi-home run games and one walk-off home run this season. In addition, 16 of his 28 home runs have tied the game or given Alabama the lead, including 10 go-ahead home runs. He also has nine game-winning RBI.

In March, he set the Alabama record with a home run in six straight games and was twice named National and SEC Player of the Week. He hit for the cycle on Feb. 24 against Nicholls State and followed that up with a walk-off 10th inning home run the next day.

The draft will continue through the 30th round today and will conclude with rounds 31-50 on Thursday, June 11th.


-UA-


Congrats to Kent. I was surprised that he didn't go higher in the draft. He had a great senior year.


RTR,

Diamond Tide