Another year, another Shenendehowa High School graduate drafted by a Major League Baseball team.
Clifton Park native and Binghamton University third baseman Justin Yurchak was selected in the 12th round of the Major League Baseball Draft Wednesday by the Chicago White Sox.
Yurchak is the third Shen graduate to be selected in two years. The Atlanta Braves taking pitcher Ian Anderson in the first round and third overall in 2016. Anderson was the highest ever draft pick from the Capital Region, and is currently playing with the Class A Rome Braves of the South Atlantic League.
His twin brother, Ben Anderson, also a pitcher, was drafted in the 26th round last year by the Toronto Blue Jays. Rather than sign, Ben Anderson chose to attend to Binghamton, where he was a teammate of Yurchak this past season.
Yurchak recently completed his redshirt sophomore season at Binghamton, where he batted .320 with five home runs and 27 RBIs. He is the sixth Bearcat to be taken in the draft in the last six years, and is the highest position player selected from the university in 27 years.
“I cannot say thank you enough to everyone who has helped me along the way,” said Yurchak, who attended Wake Forest for a year before transferring to Binghamton. “I most certainly would not be in this situation without so many people. It has been a long journey and I look forward to continuing my baseball career.”
Yurchak was a first team America East all-conference selection and second team All-ECAC pick. He began the season by recording two hits or more in nine consecutive games.
“This is a great day for Justin and his family,” Binghamton head coach Tim Sinicki said. “I’m very happy for him and equally as proud of him. Justin has worked very hard for this well-deserved honor and opportunity.”
The only Binghamton players picked higher than Yurchak were pitcher Mike Augliera (fifth round 2012) and catcher Dan Gray (seventh round 1990).
Yurchak helped lead Shenendehowa to the Section II Class AA championship his junior and senior seasons. In his scholastic career he was named an ABCA Rawlings High School Region 1 All-American and the Suburban Council Player of the Year.
Columbia High School graduate Kevin Smith, a shortstop from Maryland, was selected in the fourth round (129 overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays Tuesday. Siena College outfielder Dan Swain, a Massachusetts native, was taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 34th round Wednesday. Swain is the Saints’ 23rd player drafted, and 15th since 1996.
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