University of North Carolina Athletics
Harvey Chosen Seventh Overall In MLB Draft
June 7, 2010 | Baseball
June 7, 2010
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - University of North Carolina junior standout Matt Harvey was selected seventh overall in Monday's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, becoming the fifth Tar Heel chosen in the first round within the last five years. Harvey was the first pick of the New York Mets becoming the third collegiate pitcher selected overall.
Harvey joins current major leaguer Daniel Bard (Red Sox), farmhands Andrew Miller (Marlins), Dustin Ackley (Mariners) and Alex White (Indians) as one of five Tar Heels chosen in the first round of the draft since 2006. UNC has now produced 12 first-round picks in school history.
A first-team All-ACC pick and preseason All-America, Harvey ranks ninth all-time in strikeouts (263) and tenth all-time in wins (22) in Carolina history. The Mystic, Conn., native pitched two complete games this season while registering a career-best eight wins.
In 2010, Harvey led the Tar Heels in nearly every statistical pitching category posting 102 strikeouts and a 3.09 ERA in 96 innings pitched. Opponents hit a lowly .224 against the junior, who registered a near 3:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
The junior struck out a career-best 15 batters in a complete-game win over Clemson April 23. Harvey caught nine Clemson batters looking at the called third strike as nearly half of his season strikeouts registered were of the looking variety. The powerful right-hander fanned double-digit batters four different times this season, earning ACC Pitcher of the Week twice and National Pitcher of the Week once.
The Mystic, Conn., product was chosen by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the third round (118th pick) of the 2007 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, but elected to attend the University of North Carolina.
