Fresno State Athletics
Four 'Dogs Drafted in 2009 MLB Draft
6/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 9, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - The wait is over for Fresno State's third baseman Tom Mendonca and his fate has been decided after being drafted in the second round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft by the Texas Rangers. Former Bulldog pitcher Tanner Scheppers was also drafted by the Rangers in the supplemental first round.
On the second day of the draft a pair of Bulldogs were drafted. First baseman Alan Ahmady was drafted in the 11th round to the St. Louis Cardinals. Right-handed pitcher Holden Sprague was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 28th round.
"We are very proud to have continued our tradition of recruiting outstanding student-athletes who consistently grow towards their degrees, win championships and improve bewteen the lines," said head coach Mike Batesole. "In our six recruiting classes we have now had four 1st round draft picks (Richie Robnett, Beau Mills, Matt Garza and Tanner Scheppers - supplemental) and seen many of our players skyrocket up the draft board."
The Bulldogs had two drafted in the top 65 picks as Mendonca was the 62nd overall pick and Scheppers was the 44th overall pick. The Rangers have drafted three Bulldogs in the last two years, last year Texas drafted pitcher Justin Miller.
"It's a nice feeling now that it is over and I know I am a Ranger. I'm glad to be playing with two Bulldogs Justin Miller and Tanner Scheppers, again," said Mendonca.
Mendonca (Turlock, Calif.) had a big junior campaign highlighted by breaking the home run record on April 18, 2009 against Louisiana Tech. His 56 career home runs set a new Fresno State record. Mendonca had 27 homers this season, which makes him third in the country.
Although he is known for swinging for the fences, Mendonca is also known for coming up with big defensive plays. He dazzled fans at 2008 College World Series and continued to amaze crowds with spectacular plays this year.
The third baseman was named the 2009 WAC Player of the Year, a preseason and midseason All-American by Baseball America, a 2009 Louisville Slugger All-American and in 2008 was named the College World Series Most Outstanding Player.
Mendonca lead the team in home runs (27), RBIs (78) and had the second highest batting average (.339) in 2009. Over his career at Fresno State he hit .298 with 27 doubles, six triples and 185 RBIs. He is third in career RBIs in Fresno State history.
"I was fortunate enough to play at Fresno State for Coach Batesole and appreciate all that they did to get me to where I am at." Mendonca added. "I am fortunate to get drafted by the Rangers and thankful for my family and friends for supporting me all these years."
The junior had three game-winning hits this season for the Bulldogs. Mendonca was a Golden Spike Semi-Finalists and is a finalist for the Dick Howser Award. Mendonca has not been previously drafted.
Scheppers (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) was drafted last year in the second round by the Pittsburg Pirates and didn't sign. He opted to play rehab his shoulder and play Independent League baseball with the St. Paul Saints to prepare for the 2009 draft.
The former Fresno State pitcher recorded a 2.93 ERA and boasted an 8-2 record. Scheppers posted a team high 109 batters in 11 starts. He had one complete game in the 2008 season and struck out a career-high 13 batters against Nevada.
Scheppers was named WAC Pitcher of the Year and helped the Bulldogs win their third straight WAC Conference and Tournament Championships.
During his career as a Bulldog, Scheppers started 27 games with a 5.28 ERA and 219 strikeouts in 170.2 innings. Scheppers was also drafted in 2005 in the 29th round by the Orioles.
Ahmady was a first team All-WAC selection in 2008 and helped the Bulldogs win their first National title during his sophomore year.
The first baseman hit .326 with six doubles, two triples and eight home runs. Over his career at Fresno State, he batted .340 with 28 home runs and 174 RBIs.
Ahmady made his way into the record books at Fresno State. He is among the top 10 home run hitters in Bulldog history. The junior is fourth on the Fresno State career RBI list with 174 RBIs and with 120 career walks and is in fifth place in Bulldog history.
In 2009, Ahmady was named a preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and Louisville Slugger.
In 2009, Sprague earned First Team All-WAC honors as a relief pitcher. During his senior campaign Sprague sported a 4.20 ERA in 98.2 innings of work. He earned a 7-4 record with four saves.
Sprague led the Bulldogs with 67 strikeouts. Over his career he has struck out 182 batters and has an overall record of 14-6 with a 4.88.
Last season, Sprague earned a win over Georgia in the College World Series championship series.
Just before the Bulldogs won the 2008 College World Series, six `Dogs were picked up in the draft, including Scheppers, Miller, Justin Wilson, Clayton Allison, Erik Wetzel and Stephen Susdorf. Under Batesole, 31 Bulldogs have been drafted in his seven years at Fresno State.
"It has been fun to watch our players improve while wearing a Bulldog uniform (Robnett 37th to 1st, Mills 37th to 1st, Garza 42nd to 1st, Scheppers 27th to 1st - supplemental, Moresi not drafted to 2nd, Mendonca not drafted to 2nd, Underwood 17th to 5th, Wilson 37th to 5th, Fister 19th to 6th, Romero 37th to 9th, Vitters not drafted to 10th, and many others)," said Batesole. "This means that we are recruiting the right guys and they are getting better at Beiden Field."
We Are Your Team! 2009 Fresno State football season tickets are available now. Fans can get premium seating with a Bulldog Foundation membership, Family Plans or general season tickets. To order or for more information, please click on the TICKETS icon at the top of this page or to become a member of the Bulldog Foundation, call (559) 244-5600.
