Mike Kaelin Selected By The Los Angeles Angels In The MLB Draft
6/11/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
BUFFALO, NY - University at Buffalo baseball junior closer Mike Kaelin was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the 15th round (456nd overall) of the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft on Saturday afternoon. Kaelin is the fourth Bull in the past three seasons to be drafted in the top-30 rounds of the MLB draft.
This marks the fifth straight season that a UB player has been drafted, Nick Sinay (2015), Mike Burke (2014), Tyler Mautner (2014), Jason Kanzler (2013) and Tom Murphy (2012), marking the longest streak in program history. Kaelin also became the highest picked UB pitcher since Peter Grimm in 1983 (3rd round).
The hard-throwing righty finished off his junior season appearing in 20 games while owning a 4.11 ERA and striking out 44 batters over 35.0 innings of work. He collected a team-best five saves on the season, third most in a single season in program history. Kaelin sits in third place on the Bulls all-time saves list with 11 for his career while also ranking seventh in career appearances with 59.
As a sophomore, Kaelin appeared in 18 games while owning a 3.32 ERA and a team-best five saves while striking out 58 batters over 43.1 innings of action. He exploded on the scene during his redshirt freshman campaign as the flamethrower owned opposing batters, holding a 0.82 ERA over 33 innings of work and earning a 4-1 record. His 0.82 ERA is the second lowest ERA in program history for a single season.
Over his career, Kaelin has been a constant performer out of the UB bullpen as he has collected 11 saves in 59 career appearances while holding a 3.01 ERA and striking out 128 batters. He held opposing batters to a pedestrian .221 batting average against over his illustrious UB career.
