Two NSU players, one signee, drafted in Tuesday's MLB Draft
By: Brandon Dunn
Updated: July 15, 2010
NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State senior pitcher Ryan Zimmerman and sophomore hurler Chad Sheppard were both selected on day two of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft.
Sheppard, a hard-throwing righty from Enterprise, La., was selected by the New York Mets as the 512th pick in the 17th round while Zimmerman, also a right-handed pitcher from Fremont, Calif., was picked in the 30th round as the 901st pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Also selected in Tuesday’s draft was NSU signee Chris Winder of Odessa College. Winder, a 5-11, 170-pound outfielder, was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays as the 821st pick in the 27th round.
Sheppard and Zimmerman are the first Demon players drafted since 2007 when Brandon Richey was taken by the Mets in the 10th round.
In 2010, Sheppard became the Southland Conference’s recipient of the inaugural Relief Pitcher of the Year award when the finished the season with 10 saves – tying his single-season school record that he set in 2009.
In his brief two-year career at NSU, he has racked up a school-record 20 saves to go along with a career 6-1 record and 3.03 ERA in 49 appearances. He struck out 92 batters in 74.2 innings pitched while walking just 35.
This past season, Sheppard compiled a 2-0 record with a 3.60 ERA with 49 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched in earning All-Southland Conference third team honors.
Zimmerman, who also earned third team All-SLC honors this past season, finished the season with a 6-5 record and a 3.74 ERA – fifth best in the league. He led the team with two complete games thrown, tossed a shutout, and combined for another blanking and struckout 77 batters in 86.2 innings pitched.
In his two years at NSU, Zimmerman finished 9-8 in 37 games pitched with 24 starts. He compiled a 4.47 career ERA, threw 157.1 innings, and struckout 127 batters.
The draft concludes on Wednesday with rounds 31-50. Six other Demon players could receive a call. They are: Heath Hennigan, Chase Lyles, Tyler Baisley, Aaron Munoz, Oscar Garcia, and Luke Irvine.
