UCI’s Nicoll, Wagner drafted

UC Irvine juniors Chris Nicoll and Mark Wagner were selected by the

Kansas City Royals and Boston Red Sox, respectively, on the first day

of the Major League Baseball draft Tuesday.

Nicoll was the second pick in the third round and the 82nd pick

overall by the Royals. The right-hander was a second-team All-Big

West Conference selection after finishing the season 6-4 with a 2.51

ERA, fourth-lowest in the conference.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Nicoll registered 113 strikeouts in 111

2/3 innings -- third-best in the conference -- while his 44

strikeouts looking led the Big West. Opponents hit a paltry .221

against Nicoll, the fifth-lowest in the Big West. He also picked off

four runners, the second-most in the conference.

Nicoll was named to the Cape Cod League Top 30 prospect list last

summer after he pitched for the Orleans Cardinals.

Nicoll, who was selected as UCI’s Most Valuable Pitcher, became

the ninth Anteater to be drafted by Kansas City.

Wagner, a second-team all-conference selection, was taken in the

ninth round by the defending World Series champions. The right-handed

catcher was second in the Big West with 78 hits and his .355 batting

average was fourth-best in the conference. He also had 11 doubles,

four triples, four home runs and 39 RBIs.

Defensively, Wagner held opposing runners to a .443 stolen base

average. The 34 runners he threw out trying to steal were the most of

any Big West catcher. He garnered a Big West Player of the Week award

Feb. 7 after he collected six hits, five RBIs and two home runs

against Cal.

The 6-1, 205-pound Wagner was drafted in the 29th round by the

Atlanta Braves following his senior year at Mayfair High, where he

was a four-year All-CIF honoree. He was a Collegiate Baseball

Louisville Slugger freshman All-American after he had 19 doubles and

31 RBIs with a .273 batting average, the fourth-most on the team.

He was third on the team during his sophomore year with 56 hits

and a .286 batting average.

Wagner was voted the team Most Valuable Player and is the third

Anteater drafted by the Red Sox.