Christian, Putnam Selected in Fifth Round of MLB Draft
6/5/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Michigan's MLB Draft History
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Juniors Jason Christian(Loveland, Ohio/Loveland HS) and Zach Putnam(Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) of the University of Michigan baseball team were selected Thursday evening (June 5) in the fifth round on the first day of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft.
Christian, a lefthanded hitting shortstop, was chosen by the Oakland A's with the 13th pick of the round (154th overall), while Putnam, a righthanded starting pitcher who doubled as U-M's designated hitter, was pick number 29 of the fifth round to the Cleveland Indians (171st overall).
Christian had his best offensive season at Michigan during the 2008 campaign, posting career bests in batting average (.330), triples (6), runs batted in (48), slugging percentage (.567), walks (39) and on-base percentage (.445). The junior played in 50 games with 48 starts at short and was the U-M leadoff man in 45 of those starts.
The All-Big Ten first team shortstop and an NCAA Regional all-tournament selection, Christian reached safely in 32 of his final 34 games and was on base in all but four games in which he had a plate appearance all year.
Putnam, the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, was 9-0 in his 12 starts, posting a 2.54 earned run average in 76.2 innings pitched. The junior's undefeated season is the third best single-season performance in the 142-year history of the program. Only two other Wolverines put together better seasons, as Ross Powell (1987-89) and Jim Agemy (1985-87) went 10-0 in 1989 and 1985, respectively.
Putnam was selected All-Big Ten first team as a starting pitcher and at DH. He is the only player in conference history to be named to the first team at each position, as he has done so in each of the last two seasons. The junior was named Louisville Slugger second team All-America by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper at the utility position.
With Putnam being drafted as a pitcher, it marks the 13th consecutive year head coach Rich Maloney has had a hurler drafted.
The two juniors helped Michigan to its third consecutive Big Ten regular-season title and the best record in conference history with a mark of 26-5 in league play.
The first six rounds of the draft were completed Thursday. The draft will resume Friday.
Contact: Gene Skidmore (734) 763-4423
