Spartan Selected in Major League Draft

AURORA, Ill. June 8, 2005 - Aurora University Spartan Baseball junior pitcher Brady Salter (Plainfield, IL/Plainfield Central HS) was selected in the 43rd round of the 2005 Major League Draft by the New York Yankees.

"It's an honor to be selected in the draft by the Yankees and I don't think I would have had this opportunity had I not come to AU," Salter said.

In his first season as a Spartan, Salter was 7-2 with a 3.84 earned run average and 49 strikeouts in 63-1/3 innings pitched for the 34-9 baseball team. Salter spent his previous couple of college seasons at Illinois State University before transferring to AU prior to the 2004-2005 academic year.

"I'm very happy for Brady to have the opportunity to play professionally and at the same time it's great for the program to have another Spartan in the professional ranks," Head Baseball Coach Shaun Neitzel said.

AU has one other alum currently playing professionally with the Philadelphia Phillies minor league system. 2002 grad, pitcher Josh Paddock is currently on the disabled list with the Phillies Class A Clearwater affiliate. Paddock was selected in 2002 MLB draft in the 35th round by the Phillies.

The AU Spartan baseball team finished with a 34-9 overall record and 14-4 in the NIIC, while capturing the regular-season conference championship, their second consecutive Conference Tournament Championship, and the NIIC bid into the 2005 NCAA baseball tournament. The NCAA appearance was AU’s 16th in school history (since 1987) and the NIIC title was the 19th in the last 22 seasons.

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