University of Massachusets Athletics
Matt Torra Picked No. 31 Overall In MLB Draft
June 07, 2005 | Baseball
June 7, 2005
AMHERST, Mass. - On Tuesday afternoon at 1:58 p.m. Minuteman Matt Torra become just the second UMass baseball player to be taken in the first round of the MLB draft. He became the sixth UMass athlete overall to be picked in the first round of any professional sport draft. Torra, who was projected to go early, was chosen by Arizona as No. 31 in the supplemental first round.
Arizona received the pick from the Seattle Mariners for losing Richie Sexon.
Torra joins former UMass catcher Frank Curreri, who also played for the Arizona organization for their rookie league team, the Missoula Osprey.
The only other Minuteman to go in the first round was Ron Villone, selected by Seattle in 1992. Torra is the first UMass first-round pick since Marcus Camby in 1997. The last Massachusetts baseball player to be drafted was Curreri in 2004, taken in the 41st round by the Diamondbacks.
The junior ace spent the afternoon with his family in Pittsfield, Mass. when he got the news that he was heading to Arizona. Torra will address the media at 4 p.m. in the auditorium of Pittsfield High School.
In the 2005 season, Torra led the A-10 in strikeouts (111), while his 1.14 ERA is tops in the nation. His ERA was the the lowest single-season mark by a pitcher in Atlantic 10 history.
His honors in 2005 included Third Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, A-10 Pitcher of the Year and A-10 First Team honoree, as well as being a three-time conference Pitcher of the Week and two-time UMass/Dinn Bros. Athlete of the Week. He was chosen to play in Monday night's NEIBA Division I All-Star game as well.
Check back on umassathletics.com for future updates on Matt Torra and local/national reactions from today's draft.
