Indians Sign Kipnis

INDIANS SIGN THEIR 2ND ROUND
PICK - OF JASON KIPNIS - FROM 2009 DRAFT

Kipnis Named 2009 Pac 10 Player of the Year

CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Indians today announced they have signed their second round pick (63rd overall) from the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, OF JASON KIPNIS, out of Arizona State University.

The junior outfielder led the Sun Devils to the semi-finals of the NCAA College World Series and batted .384 (91-237) with 76 runs scored, 21 doubles, 4 triples, 16HR and 71RBI in 63 games (62 starts) for the Arizona State Sun Devils. He also had a .497 on-base percentage (51BB, 32K) and a .709 slugging percentage (1.206 OPS). The Northbrook, IL native was named the Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year and to the Pac-10 First Team for the second consecutive season. He was also named to Baseball America’s
All-America First Team. He was ranked as the 60th overall prospect by ESPN.com’s Keith Law and 61st by Baseball America entering the draft.

Last year, Kipnis hit .371 (88-237) with 14 homers and 73 RBI while starting all 62 games, including 16 doubles and 6 triples while finishing second in the Pac-10 with 24 stolen bases in 28 attempts. In his debut season in Tempe after transferring from Kentucky, he earned Pac-10 Newcomer of the Year.

This marked the second time Kipnis had been selected in the MLB draft, as he was taken by the San Diego Padres in the fourth round (135th overall) in the 2008 draft.

The Indians have now signed 26 of their 50 selections, including 19 of the first 20.

Posted in: Jason Kipnis