Bregman Picked by Astros #2 Overall in MLB Draft

LSU Shortstop Alex Bregman will likely be playing his final games as an LSU Tiger in the College World Series after being selected second overall by the Houston Astros in Monday's MLB Draft.

LSU Baseball Report/Bill Franques

ALEX BREGMAN SELECTED NO. 2 OVERALL BY ASTROS

BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU junior shortstop Alex Bregman was selected No. 2 overall by the Houston Astros in the 2015 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Monday night.

Bregman, a 2015 Golden Spikes Award finalist and a two-time first-team all-American, became the second-highest draft choice in LSU baseball history, and he was the 18th LSU player to be chosen in the first round.

Pitcher Ben McDonald, the No. 1 overall selection in the 1989 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles, is the only LSU player to be chosen higher than Bregman.

Bregman, a product of Albuquerque, N.M., has enjoyed a brilliant three-year career at LSU, batting .334 (258-for-773) with 56 doubles, 10 triples, 21 homers, 148 RBI, 150 runs and 65 stolen bases.

Bregman, the 2013 Brooks Wallace Award winner as the nation’s best shortstop, is batting .312 this season with 22 doubles, three triples, nine homers, 49 RBI, 56 runs and 37 stolen bases, the second-highest single-season steals total in LSU history.

Including compensatory selections, LSU has produced 15 first-round picks since 1989, when McDonald was the first overall selection by Baltimore.

The first and second rounds of the 2015 draft will be completed Thursday night. The draft continues at Noon CT Tuesday with Rounds 3-10 and concludes with Rounds 11-40 beginning at 11 a.m. CT Wednesday.

The selection of Bregman marks the sixth time in seven seasons an LSU player has been chosen in the first round of the MLB Draft. Outfielder Jared Mitchell was the 23rd overall selection in 2009 by the Chicago White Sox, pitcher Anthony Ranaudo was the 39th overall choice in 2010 by the Boston Red Sox, outfielder Mikie Mahtook was the 31st overall selection in 2011 by the Tampa Bay Rays, pitcher Kevin Gausman was the fourth overall choice in 2012 by the Baltimore Orioles, and pitcher Aaron Nola was the seventh overall selection by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2014.

Bregman was the 29th-round selection of the Boston Red Sox in 2012 after his high school senior season, and he elected to enroll at LSU instead of signing a pro contract.

Bregman is the highest-drafted player produced by LSU coach Paul Mainieri in his 33-year collegiate career; Mainieri has produced six first-rounders during his nine-year LSU tenure.

While at Notre Dame, Mainieri coached pitcher Brad Lidge, the No. 17 overall choice (Houston Astros) in the 1998 draft, and pitcher Aaron Heilman, the No. 18 overall selection (New York Mets) in the 2001 draft.

Quotes from LSU shortstop Alex Bregman

On being drafted second overall…
“It really hasn’t hit me yet. It’s a dream come true. You grow up as a little kid playing baseball and dreaming about playing professionally. It’s really a dream come true to be called and it’s such an honor. It’s due to all of my great teammates and coaches that I’ve had throughout the years. It’s really a surreal experience and I’m so excited. First though, I’m excited to go to Omaha and play for a national championship. We have the team to do it this year and I’m really excited.”

On if the draft was on his mind this weekend…
”I tried to put it in the back of my mind. I tried to focus on baseball and have fun doing it. I just wanted us to go to Omaha and I thought everything else would take care of itself. I’m just very happy right now and I’m happy that I get to spend this time with my family and close friends. It’s time to go win some more games though. We’re not done yet.”

Quotes from LSU coach Paul Mainieri

“I’m so happy for that young man. I think I’ve said as many superlatives as I can say about one player over the course of these three years. I still feel like I don’t do it justice. This kid has been the greatest joy for a coach to have for three years. He’s never been an ounce of trouble, he goes to the field each day and works as hard as anybody I’ve ever coached, he loves the game, he loves his team, and he loves his coaches. He’s a coach on the field and he’s a really clutch player. He’s also really talented, which is evident by where he got picked in the draft. I’ve tried to put into words what he’s meant to us but it’s almost impossible for me to really do it justice. He told me three years ago that he was going to come to LSU if he wasn’t picked in the first round. He stuck by his word and turned down a signing bonus out of high school to come to school and have the experiences he’s had for three years. Now he’s the second pick in the draft. It just warms your heart to see youngsters that stick by what they believe is the right thing for them, have the self confidence in themselves and then go out and work on it. To be rewarded as he has been makes you feel great. We’re all just so proud of him. We still have some work to do with him in his LSU career. Hopefully it will last about five more wins and then he can have a terrific major league career. I just love him like he’s my own son.”