ALABAMA IN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL
Alabama baseball is steeped in tradition with 25 conference championships, 22 NCAA Regional appearances, 14 SEC Championships, seven SEC Tournament titles and five College World Series appearances.

The Crimson Tide program has also developed a number of players to play at the next level, with 137 MLB draft picks since its inception in 1966. Dating back to 1912, Alabama has had 62 former players reach the big leagues.

Alabama currently has four big league players and as many as six former UA players saw Major League action in 2011. The current list of Major League players includes Alex Avila (C, Detroit Tigers), Matt Downs (INF, Houston Astros), Tommy Hunter (RHP, Baltimore Orioles), and David Robertson (RHP, New York Yankees). Click their images above for bio and stat information.

THE MLB DRAFT:
Alabama has had 126 players selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft since its inception in 1966. With four selections in the 2011 MLB draft, the Crimson Tide has had at least one player taken in the draft for 32 straight years, dating back to 1979. Overall, Alabama has had at least one player drafted in 37 of the 45 previous MLB drafts.

Over the past three years, the Crimson Tide has had 17 players drafted. Four players from the 2011 team were selected, including pitcher Adam Morgan (Phillies), center fielder Taylor Dugas (Cubs), pitcher Nathan Kilcrease (Athletics) and catcher Brock Bennett (Giants). Seven players from the 2010 squad were selected including pitcher Jimmy Nelson, first baseman Clay Jones, second baseman Ross Wilson, shortstop Josh Rutledge, third baseman/pitcher Jake Smith, pitcher Jason Townsend and pitcher Tyler White. Six players were drafted in 2009, including catcher Vin DiFazio (Texas), pitcher Austin Evans (Cleveland), pitcher Del Howell (Milwaukee), pitcher Austin Hyatt (Philadelphia), outfielder Kent Matthes (Colorado) and infielder Brandon May (Chicago Cubs).

The seven draft picks in 2010 marked the third most in school history, while the six selections in 2009 were the fourth-most in school history. Alabama had a school-record nine players drafted in 1986 and added eight draft picks in 1996. The 1983 UA team had six players drafted, including 1983 College Baseball Player of the Year David Magadan (2nd Round - New York Mets).

Over the past decade, Alabama has had 42 players drafted including first round selections Jeremy Brown (2002), Taylor Tankersley (2004) and Tommy Hunter (2007). Of those 42 players, 17 have been pitchers, which include current MLB players, Dave Robertson (2006), Wade LeBlanc (2006) and Hunter. Downs was a 2006 selection by the San Francisco Giants and Avila was drafted by the Tigers following the 2008 season.

Alabama is also well-represented throughout Minor League Baseball, with 16 former players playing at all three levels of the minors. The Crimson Tide has five Triple-A players, four Double-A players and seven Single-A players.

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