Freshman third baseman Eric Wood wasn’t just the first Blinn Buccaneer taken in the Major League Baseball First-Year Players Draft Tuesday – he was also the first Canadian.
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected the native of Pickering, Canada in the sixth round with the 196th overall pick. Wood, a first baseman/third baseman, batted .326 with five homers, 13 doubles and 44 RBIs for the Buccaneers this season. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound infielder led the Buc in RBIs and batting average with runners in scoring position.
“For selfish reasons, I want him back, but for all the right reasons I’m happy for Eric Wood,” said Blinn baseball coach Harvey McIntyre. “I don’t want to put words into his mouth, but I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t sign.”
Wood told scouts prior to the draft that he was willing to sign if selected. He was the first member of the Region XIV Conference to be drafted.
“With his intangibles, I’d be surprised if he doesn’t make a career playing professional baseball,” McIntyre said. “He’s a special player and a special kid.”
Last year, Blinn catcher Nick DeSantiago was selected in the fifth round by the Atlanta Braves and pitcher Zach Hardoin was taken by the Houston Astros.