Junior Michael Conforto is highest selection in Oregon State history

Oregon State junior left fielder Michael Conforto was selected with the 10th overall pick in the first round of Thursday’s MLB Draft by the New York Mets.

The two-time Pac-12 Player of the Year is the seventh Oregon State player to be taken in the first round and the first since catcher Mitch Canham and pitcher Eddie Kunz in 2007.

His selection (10th) is the highest in Oregon State history, surpassing the previous high of 17th, when the Chicago White Sox took Scott Christman in 1993.

If Conforto opts to forgo his senior season for the Major Leagues, he would go down as one of the greatest players in Oregon State history. The junior is Oregon State’s only three-time All-American, and was also a three-time All-Pac-12 First Team selection.

Conforto led Oregon State to its sixth-straight postseason appearance this past year and third time hosting a regional before being ousted by UC Irvine Monday.

The Washington native finished the year with a .345 batting average, seven home runs, 56 runns batted in and walked a school record 55 times. He won the Pac-12 batting title and finished second in the conference in RBIs to teammate Dylan Davis, who is expected to be drafted early Friday.

Conforto also led the Pac-12 in slugging percentage (.547), on base average (.504) and runs scored (52).

Rounding out Conforto’s many accomplishments, OSU’s all-time RBI leader is currently a finalist for the Golden Spikes and Dick Howser Awards as the nation’s top player.

The Daily Barometer

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