Troy University Athletics
Brandon Lockridge Drafted by New York Yankees
6/5/2018 3:23:00 PM | Baseball
TROY, Alabama – Junior center fielder Brandon Lockridge became the fifth Troy player in program history to be drafted in the top five rounds of the MLB First-Year Player Draft as he was chosen by the New York Yankees in the fifth round Tuesday afternoon.
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Lockridge, a native of Pensacola, Fla., was projected as the 195th-best prospect by Baseball America but was taken at pick 157 by the Yankees.
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The speedster is Troy's school record-holder in single-season (7) and career (14) triples and finished the season with 25 stolen bases. He was also reliable in the field, recording 164 putouts and three outfield assists with just one error all season – a .994 fielding percentage.
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In game two of the NCAA Athens Regional last weekend, Lockridge launched two monster home runs and went 3-for-4 as the Trojans fell to top-seeded and eighth-ranked Georgia.
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He started 166 consecutive games for Troy – the longest streak by any player since at least 2000 – including a school-record 63 starts this season. At the conclusion of the Sun Belt Championship, he received all-tournament team honors and was a 2017 All-Sun Belt First Team selection at second base.
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Lockridge joins Mike Felix, Jorge Soto, Nate Moore and David Bond as the school's only players selected in the top five rounds of the draft. Felix remains Troy's highest pick as he was chosen 48th overall – second round – by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2006.
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Quotable – Troy head coach Mark Smartt
"Brandon (Lockridge) has worked extremely hard since he arrived on campus three years ago and today his work was rewarded by the Yankees. I truly believe his athletic ability combined with his work ethic will get him to the big leagues. He represented Troy the right way both on the field and off. I am so happy for him and his family."
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Lockridge, a native of Pensacola, Fla., was projected as the 195th-best prospect by Baseball America but was taken at pick 157 by the Yankees.
Â
The speedster is Troy's school record-holder in single-season (7) and career (14) triples and finished the season with 25 stolen bases. He was also reliable in the field, recording 164 putouts and three outfield assists with just one error all season – a .994 fielding percentage.
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In game two of the NCAA Athens Regional last weekend, Lockridge launched two monster home runs and went 3-for-4 as the Trojans fell to top-seeded and eighth-ranked Georgia.
Â
He started 166 consecutive games for Troy – the longest streak by any player since at least 2000 – including a school-record 63 starts this season. At the conclusion of the Sun Belt Championship, he received all-tournament team honors and was a 2017 All-Sun Belt First Team selection at second base.
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Lockridge joins Mike Felix, Jorge Soto, Nate Moore and David Bond as the school's only players selected in the top five rounds of the draft. Felix remains Troy's highest pick as he was chosen 48th overall – second round – by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2006.
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Quotable – Troy head coach Mark Smartt
"Brandon (Lockridge) has worked extremely hard since he arrived on campus three years ago and today his work was rewarded by the Yankees. I truly believe his athletic ability combined with his work ethic will get him to the big leagues. He represented Troy the right way both on the field and off. I am so happy for him and his family."
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