Ravens have three pitchers, first baseman come off board in four-round stretch

MLB.com Draft Central

RINDGE, N.H. (June 8, 2013) – In a span of 20 minutes on Saturday afternoon, the East Region champion Franklin Pierce University baseball team went from having nobody taken in the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft to producing arguably the strongest draft class in program history. Over just 42 picks in the 13th and 14th rounds, the Ravens had three pitchers taken, marking the first time in program history three players were taken in the first 15 rounds. Another pick in the 16th round marked only the third time the program has had four players taken in the same draft (2011, 2006).

Junior right-hander Trevor Graham (Sebastian, Fla.) was the first Franklin Pierce player to come off the board, as he was taken by the Chicago Cubs in the 13th round (378 overall) to become the 13th player in program history taken inside the top 15 rounds of the MLB Draft. Just eight selections later, and still in the 13th round (386 overall), the New York Mets took junior right-hander Kevin McGowan (Nashua, N.H.). This was the first time since 2007 the Ravens saw multiple players taken in the first 15 rounds, but the next pick made it a program high-water mark, as sophomore left-hander Steve Hathaway (Acton, Mass.) was taken in the 14th round (420 overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Two rounds later, Franklin Pierce capped its day, as the Mets came calling again in the 16th round (476 overall) to take junior first baseman Zach Mathieu (Derry, N.H.).

Franklin Pierce has now had 25 draft selections in program history, beginning with Justin Blood in 2001. Since that first selection, only Boston College (40) and Connecticut (39) have had more draftees among New England schools, regardless of division. Before last year's draft, Franklin Pierce had been the only New England school to have at least one player selected every year since 2001. The 2013 draft is the second time in three seasons and the fourth time in 13 seasons Franklin Pierce has had at least four players selected. The 2007 draft still holds the record from a quantity standpoint, as five Ravens were selected that summer.

"Today is a great day for our baseball program, especially for our student-athletes who realized a childhood dream," said Head Coach Jayson King. "It is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication from those involved with our program, and of decades of the same put in by the draftees and their families."

Graham transferred to Franklin Pierce from Florida Tech following the 2012 season, in part to set himself up for a possible draft selection this June. The move paid off in spades for both parties, as Graham earned award after award in 2013 while leading the Ravens to the sixth NCAA Regional title in program history. He was the ace all season long for a pitching staff which finished in the top five in the nation in hits per nine innings (7.16), strikeouts per nine innings (9.10) and WHIP (1.17). For his part, Graham finished in the top-20 in the country in strikeouts (123), WHIP (0.87), hits allowed per nine innings (6.12), ERA (1.63) and wins (10). Most impressively among those, he finished second in strikeouts, fourth in WHIP and ninth in hits allowed per nine innings. In addition, he was 26th in the NCAA in strikeouts per nine innings (10.03).

In all, over 110.1 innings, Graham allowed 28 runs (20 earned) on 76 hits and walked just 21 against the 123 strikeouts. He went 10-2 with one save, completed three of his 15 starts and threw two shutouts. The stat line was good enough to earn him consensus All-America honors, including a First Team selection from Daktronics. He earned East Region Pitcher of the Year honors from both the ABCA and Daktronics, and was a consensus All-East Region First Team selection. Graham was the Northeast-10 Conference Pitcher of the Year and also landed on the All-Northeast-10 First Team.

"Trevor was our MVP and a horse on the mound all season long, as well as our tone-setter and the leader of our pitching staff" said King. "Every time he took the mound he gave us a chance to win; he recorded 10 wins this spring and we won in 12 of his 15 starts [and in his only relief appearance]."

For all his accomplishments, Graham's most impressive work came in the NCAA Championship East Regional, where he was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. On the opening day of the East Regional, he quieted top seed Wilmington (Del.) with a three-hit shutout and struck out 10. Just two nights later, on one day of rest, and with the Ravens facing elimination, he came back to record the final out and strand the tying run on base in Franklin Pierce's 3-2, 13-inning win over host Southern New Hampshire. The win advanced Franklin Pierce to the East Regional title game. Graham's value to the team was acknowledged nationwide, as he was the only player in the country to be named as a finalist for both the Tino Martinez Award and the Josh Willingham Award by College Baseball Lineup.

Graham was the 22nd draft pick in program history, and became the second Franklin Pierce player drafted by the Cubs. In 2006, the North Siders selected Elliot Shea in the 45th round (1,346 overall). Shea never played affiliated ball in the Cubs system, so Graham could become the first Raven to suit up for the organization.

McGowan pitched out of the bullpen for Franklin Pierce for much of his freshman campaign in 2011, as he made only three starts among his 13 appearances. The final of those three starts, however, served as foreshadowing for the remainder of his Raven career. In an elimination game on Saturday night at that year's NCAA Championship East Regional, he went the distance against Southern Connecticut State, allowing just three runs (two earned) while walking two and striking out four. Unfortunately, his offense could not provide a single run of support in a 3-0, season-ending loss.

McGowan moved into a starting role in 2012, when he finished 34th in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (9.76), and he would log 70-plus innings in both his sophomore and junior campaigns. In 15 appearances and 13 starts in 2013, he logged 78.2 innings, allowed 31 runs (28 earned) on 76 hits, walked 16 and struck out 60 (6.86 per nine innings) to post a 3.20 ERA. He finished 7-2, logged two complete games and threw one shutout. McGowan added significant velocity to his fastball between his sophomore and junior seasons at Franklin Pierce.

McGowan's most impressive work also came in the NCAA Championship East Regional earlier this spring. He took the ball on Saturday morning, with the Ravens facing elimination against Pace. He went the distance, extending the season by scattering nine hits and one run, walking one and striking out four. On only 26 hours of rest, he volunteered to take the ball again in the next afternoon's East Regional title game against Wilmington. McGowan struck out two and allowed only one hit over two shutout innings to set the tone as the Ravens went on to win the regional trophy after his departure.

"Kevin had a breakout year for us this season in terms of velocity, aggressiveness and the development of his off-speed pitches," said King. "His work, capped by his heroic performance in the regional tournament, made it a season that will be remembered here forever."

McGowan became the 23rd draft pick in program history. He is the first Franklin Pierce player ever selected by the Mets, though James Roche was signed by the organization over the winter and has been in extended spring training in 2013. J. P. Ricciardi, the special assistant to Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson, made multiple appearances at Dr. Arthur and Martha Pappas Field during the 2013 campaign.

Hathaway earned Northeast-10 All-Rookie Team honors for his work as a freshman in 2011, before missing all of 2012 due to injury. He also missed portions of the 2013 season due to injury as well, so he comes to the Diamondbacks with concerns regarding both injury and his age, as he is a 23-year-old, draft-eligible sophomore -- he attended Dean College for a year before ever coming to Franklin Pierce and earned a medical redshirt after missing the 2012 season. Still, he is a hard-throwing left-hander with a mid-90s fastball and an above-average curveball. Over 31 innings in eight appearances in 2013, including six starts and one complete game, Hathaway allowed 14 runs (10 earned) on 25 hits, walked eight and struck out 37 (10.74 per nine innings) to post a 2.90 ERA. A victim of poor run support, he went 0-3 with one save despite the impressive ERA.

"We wish we could have had Steve in our rotation all season long; it would have made things even more special," said King. "Even so, he gave us many quality innings down the stretch, which was huge and filled a big void for us."

Perhaps Hathaway's best flash of brilliance in 2013 came on March 2 against eventual East Region finalist Wilmington. He went the distance in a seven-inning game, allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits, walked one and struck out nine, but was saddled with a 2-0 loss. Hathaway was the 24th draft selection in program history and the second player from Franklin Pierce taken by the Diamondbacks, who previously selected Dan Fournier in the 11th round (327 overall) in 2006. Fournier played three seasons in the Arizona organization, logging 216.1 innings with 139 strikeouts and a 4.74 ERA, reaching as high as the Class A Midwest League with the South Bend Silver Hawks.

Mathieu has cut an imposing figure at first base over the previous three seasons for the Ravens, as he checks in at 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds. His most impressive season came as a sophomore in 2012, when he posted a .370/.429/.672 slash line and ranked second in the nation in total bases (158) on the way to consensus East Region Player of the Year honors. Also in 2012, he was named to the ABCA All-America Second Team, was an All-America honorable mention by both Daktronics and the NCBWA, was a consensus All-East Region First Team selection, was the Northeast-10 Player of the Year and landed on the All-Northeast-10 First Team.

The most impressive part of Mathieu's numbers is that they rival the best in the country, despite the fact that Franklin Pierce is in one of only three conferences in Division II which uses wood bats. Despite the disadvantage, he finished 2013 among the top 75 hitters in the nation in runs scored (51), doubles (19), total bases (109) and walks (34). The advantage of the wood bats is that scouts have already had a better look at how his skills will transfer to the professional game than players who play their collegiate seasons with aluminum bats. In all in 2013, Mathieu posted a .333/.446/.534 slash line over 204 at-bats with 19 doubles, two triples and six home runs. He scored 51 runs, drove in 39, drew 34 walks against just 36 strikeouts and stole 19 bases in 23 attempts while starting all 56 games at first base.

"Zach has made himself into an all-around star; he has tremendously improved all aspects of his game since his arrival three years ago," said King. "As a junior captain, he made a difference for us on the field not just with his performance, but with his leadership as well."

Mathieu became the 25th draft selection in program history, as well as the second Raven ever taken by the Mets, joining McGowan from three rounds prior. Assuming both Mathieu and McGowan sign with New York, there is a high probability both will be joined by former teammate Roche on the Mets' Class A, short-season, New York-Penn League affiliate, the Brooklyn Cyclones.

The East Region champion Ravens (37-19) wrapped up the 2013 season by finishing tied for fifth in the nation after being ousted from the National Finals after three games. The team has won at least 35 games in each of the last eight seasons and topped 30 wins in 12 consecutive campaigns. The regional title was the sixth in program history (2010, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2003).

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce baseball apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).