SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Trinity University pitcher Ben Klimesh became the second Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) student-athlete selected in the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft when he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. Exclusive Ben Klimesh Post-Draft Interview
Klimesh, the conference's two-time Pitcher-of-the-Year, was drafted in the 15th round as the 472nd overall selection - the third-highest selection by a SCAC student-athlete in the history of the MLB amateur draft.
Birmingham-Southern's Bruce Maxwell was selected in the second round (62nd overall selection) earlier today.
Klimesh, a senior right-hander from Wilmette, Ill., led the SCAC in innings pitched (110.2), strikeouts (154), complete games (9) and wins (13) this season. His 154 strikeouts established a new school and SCAC single-season record.
A first team all-America selection, Klimesh also set school records with 365 career strikeouts (also the SCAC mark) and 31 career wins (2nd all-time in the SCAC). His 1.71 ERA ranked second in the SCAC behind his teammate Ryan Lucero. The SCAC Pitcher-of-the-Year in 2011 and 2012, Klimesh became the first pitcher to win that award in consecutive seasons since Rhodes College's Robert Flanagan in 2006 and 2007.
In addition to the above accolades, Klimesh was an SCAC First Team selection and was named to the SCAC All-Tournament team. Klimesh was also honored as the SCAC Pitcher of the Week twice during the regular season.
Click here to listen to the SCAC's exclusive post-draft interview with Ben Klimesh, click here.
| SCAC Major Leaue Baseball Draft Picks (Since 1987) | ||||
| Player | School | Round | Team | Year |
| Peter Austin | Millsaps | 40th (#1202 overall) | Pittsburgh | 1997 |
| Matt Blanton | Hendrix | 23rd (#695 overall) | St. Louis | 2003 |
| Jason Armstrong | Trinity (Texas) | 25th (#747 overall) | Toronto | 2004 |
| Garner Wetzel | Millsaps | 10th (#297 overall) | Colorado | 2005 |
| Garner Wetzel | Millsaps | 18th (#543 overall) | San Diego | 2006 |
| Nick Vera | Trinity (Texas) | 32nd (#981 overall) | St. Louis | 2007 |
| Evan Bronson | Trinity (Texas) | 36th (#1,088 overall) | Milwaukee | 2008 |
| Evan Bronson | Trinity (Texas) | 29th (#862 overall) | Washington | 2009 |
| Daniel Sarisky | Oglethorpe | 40th (#1,211 overall) | Houston | 2009 |
| Drew Leachman | Birmingham-Southern | 37th (#1,138 overall) | Minnesota | 2011 |
| Bruce Maxwell | Birmingham-Southern | 2nd (#62 overall) | Oakland | 2012 |
| Ben Klimesh | Trinity (Texas) | 15th (#472 overall) | Cincinnati | 2012 |
