University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Fuselier Selected on Day Two of MLB Draft
6/8/2011 1:34:00 AM | Baseball
Fuselier, a three-year letterwinner for the Ragin' Cajuns and the team's 2011 leadoff hitter, was taken in the 21st round by the Pirates with the 632nd overall pick.
The Teurlings Catholic product is the first UL outfielder chosen since Jefferies Tatford (New York Mets) in 2007.
Tuesday's selection marks the 30th consecutive year (1982-present) that at least one Ragin' Cajun has been drafted. Fuselier is the first Cajun taken by Pittsburgh since Mo Douglas was picked by the franchise in 1999.
Fuselier is the 40th Cajuns player (43rd selection) coached by Tony Robichaux to be selected in the MLB Draft.
For the third straight season Fuselier raised his batting average (.245 as freshman, .295 as sophomore, .308 as junior) finishing above .300 for the first time in his career.
He hit safely in 29 of the last 35 games he played and during that streak - which started in mid-March - he recorded four separate seven-game hitting streaks, registering 10-plus hits in all four hitting streaks with the best stretch coming April 2-12 (.483, 14-of-29).
Fuselier led the Sun Belt Conference with 12 stolen bases in conference games (12-of-14) and finished the season as the Cajuns' leader with 14.
The Cajuns leader in walks (29) and on-base percentage (.419) he scored a career-best 46 runs, a tally which ranked Top 5 in the Sun Belt Conference in regular season play.
Fuselier posted 18 extra base hits (11 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs) which placed him third on the team in extra baggers and slugging percentage (.467). He piled up 85 total bases coming within three of his career-best 88 set in 2010, doing so in eight fewer games played.
In May, he was named to the Capital One Academic All-District VI first team making him eligible for All-American honors.
Rounds 2-30 of the MLB Draft were completed on Tuesday. The draft concludes on Wednesday with Rounds 31-50 beginning at 11 a.m.
RAGIN' CAJUNS IN THE 2011 MLB DRAFT
Rd. (Pick), Name, Pos., Team
21 (632), Alex Fuselier, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
