Stony Brook, N.Y. - Among the Stony Brook baseball team's many remarkable accomplishments in 2012 was the record seven student-athletes who were drafted in this year's MLB First-Year player draft in early June. Now, after leading the Seawolves on a memorable run to the College World Series, the seven draftees are beginning their professional careers.
Only two teams among the 16 that advanced to this year's Super Regionals had more players taken than the Seawolves, who had five players taken in the first 12 rounds.
Each of the seven has signed with their respective franchise and has or will be assigned to one of the clubs minor league affiliates.
In head coach Matt Senk's tenure, the Seawolves have had 21 players drafted and 47 players sign professional contracts. Senk was named the NCBWA National Coach of the Year in late June.
All-American centerfielder Travis Jankowski became the first player in program history to be taken in the first round of the MLB Draft when he was selected 44th overall by the San Diego Padres.
The 2012 ABCA/Rawling National Co-Player of the Year, Jankowski led the nation in hits, runs scored and triples and ranked in the top 10 in batting average and stolen bases.
The Padres assigned Jankowski to play for Class A Fort Wayne Tincaps in Indiana on Friday. Jankowski made an immediate impact as he hit a game-tying two-run triple and then scored the go-ahead run in the Tincaps 4-3 win on Saturday.
A third round draft pick of the Texas Rangers, Pat Cantwell holds the program record for games played and threw out 60 of 90 attempted base stealers over his four-year career. A career .314 hitter, Cantwell was nominated for the Johnny Bench award and was one of 30 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS award.
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Cantwell is playing for the Spokane Indians, the Class A short season affiliate of the Rangers. Cantwell is hitting .304 with three doubles through four games with Spokane and hit a go-ahead two-run double to lead the Indians 3-1 win in his debut.
All-American third baseman Willie Carmona is the Seawolves all-time hits leader and hit .380 with 65 doubles, 24 home runs and 161 RBI in his three-year career.
An 11th round pick of the Philadelphia Phillies, Carmona hit .393 this season and ranked in the top 20 in the nation in batting average, hits, doubles, RBI, total bases and slugging percentage.
Carmona has been assigned to play for the Gulf Coast League Phillies, one of the organizations' Rookie League affiliates. He had a hit in four at-bats in his debut on Saturday.
An 11th round selection of the Padres, All-American second baseman Maxx Tissenbaum hit .363 in his three years at Stony Brook and finished with 225 career hits including 50 doubles.
Tissenbaum hit .390 with 20 doubles and 51 RBI this season and led the nation in fewest strikeouts per at-bat for much of the season.
The Most Outstanding Player of the 2012 America East Championships, right-hander James Campbell went to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 12th round. Campbell went 5-0 with three saves and 3.47 ERA in 57.0 innings this season.
Campbell is playing for the Ogden Raptors, the Advanced Rookie League affiliate for the Dodgers. He has made two relief appearances, striking out three in 1.2 innings.Jasvir Rakkar went 6-2 with 3.68 ERA in 51.1 innings this season.
A 26th round selection of the Chicago Cubs, Rakkar went 6.0+ innings to earn the win in the 12-5 victory over UCF at the Coral Gables Regional.
The career wins leader at Stony Brook with 35, All-American right-hander Tyler Johnson was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 33rd round. Johnson won three games on the Seawolves way to Omaha and also was a second team Academic All-American.
He has been assigned to the Arizona League Athletics.
In addition to the seven drafted, the Seawolves currently have three other alumni playing in the major leagues or major league farm systems.
Joe Nathan `97 is currently in his 12th season in the majors and is in his first season as closer for the Texas Rangers. Nathan has 18 saves in 19 opportunities this year and was named an American League All-Star for the fifth time on Sunday,
Right-hander Tom Koehler `08 is pitching in the Miami Marlins organization for the AAA New Orleans Zephyrs. Koehler was recently named a Pacific Coast League All-Star and his 3.79 ERA is in the top 10 in the PCL.
A fifth round selection of the Houston Astros last season, right-hander Nick Tropeano was promoted to the Lancaster JetHawks of the California League on Friday. The JetHawks are the Astros Class A Advanced affiliate.
Ranked the No. 17 prospect in the Astros farm system by MLB.com, Tropeano made a splash in his debut for the JetHawks Sunday night as he allowed just an unearned run on five hits in 8.0 innings in addition to striking out nine.
Tropeano was 6-4 with a 2.78 ERA for the Class A Lexington Legends before being promoted to the JetHawks on Friday.
He was named a South Atlantic League All-Star earlier this season and he struck out 97 batters in 87.1 innings.
