Is the Pope a Pitcher?

The Yankees used the 124th pick in yesterday's amateur draft to choose pitcher Ryan Pope from Savannah College of Art & Design.

Here was the write up in today Savannah Morning News:

Right-handed pitcher is 124th player picked in First-Year Player Draft

Disappointment only lasted a few moments for Savannah College of Art and Design right-hander Ryan Pope on Thursday.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder thought he might get selected in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft by a team that saw him often while pitching with the Bees.

But the New York Yankees called on the next pick - late in the third round with the 124th selection in the draft overall.

"I'm excited," said Pope, the first SCAD baseball player ever selected in the draft. "It's always been a dream to play professional baseball."

The Yankees were one of three teams he worked out for individually.

But Pope thought the New York Mets, the Sand Gnats' parent club, might select him with the 123rd selection.

When the Yankees rang, he was so discombobulated the phone call got cut off.

It wasn't a problem. The Yankees called back.

The entire professional baseball world learned what the Bradenton, Fla., resident could do during the 2007 collegiate season.

He compiled a 9-5 record with a 1.15 ERA, the third-best average in NAIA, while throwing 102 innings.

Pope's control was equally outstanding. He struck out 122 and walked only 13.

SCAD coach Doug Wollenburg said Pope has already mastered four pitches - a fastball, curve, change and slider. Pope threw his fastball 90-93 mph.

"He has good velocity, and he can hold it for nine innings," said Wollenburg.

Pope was an NAIA All-American and was named Florida Sun Conference Player of the Year this season.

Pope will be the second SCAD player in professional baseball. Charlie Zink, who was signed as a free agent in 2002, has split this season with Class AA Portland (Maine) and Class AAA Pawtucket (R.I.) in the Boston Red Sox organization.

Pope's selection continues the area's success in the June draft. Last season, former Portal star pitcher Brooks Brown (then at Georgia) was picked in the supplemental round (between the first and second rounds) with the 34th selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

GSU's Dustin Evans (Braves, second round), GSU's Everett Teaford (Kansas City, 12th round), South Effingham's Josh Reddick (Boston, 17th round) and Brunswick's Jay Brown (Tampa Bay, 18th round) also were drafted last season.

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