June 8, 2013

SECAUCUS, N.J. - Saint Joseph's junior pitcher Jimmy Yacabonis was selected in the 13th round of the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Saturday afternoon. The Baltimore Orioles chose Yacabonis with the 399th overall selection.

"We are very happy for Jimmy," said head coach Fritz Hamburg. "He obviously has a great deal of ability and his putting things together over the course of the last year, for both himself and the team, was great to see! We will be rooting for him and are looking forward to him following his dreams to the 'big leagues.'"

Yacabonis earned Second Team All-Atlantic 10 and All-Philadelphia Baseball Big 5 honors after shattering the school record for saves in a season with 10. He posted a 1-2 record with a 2.02 earned run average in 35.2 innings over 26 appearances. He appeared in over half of SJU's conference games, notching six saves to go with a 1.80 ERA in 20.0 innings. Yacabonis ranked second in the Atlantic 10 in saves while tying for third in appearances.

He earned the first two saves of his career in the Hawks first two games of the season, and for his efforts was named the Atlantic 10 Co-Pitcher of the Week and the Big 5 Pitcher of the Week.

Yacabonis is the first Hawk to be selected in the First-Year Player Draft since Ryan Kemp (14th round, Cincinnati Reds) and A.J. Holland (16th round, Atlanta Braves) were drafted in 2011. That same year, current Hawk Tim Ponto was selected in the 39th round by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Yacabonis is the highest draft pick to come out of Saint Joseph's since Ryan Stadanlick was drafted in the 10th round, also by the Orioles, in 2005.