Temple University Athletics
Sean Barksdale Selected By Astros In 38th Round Of MLB Draft
6.11.09 | Baseball
June 11, 2009
PHILADELPHIA - Temple senior outfielder Sean Barksdale has been selected by the Houston Astros in the 38th round (1,151st overall) of the 2009 Major League Draft on Thursday. He is the first Owl to be drafted since 1999 when Joe Kerrigan, Jr. went in the 46th round to the Boston Red Sox.
“I’m really excited to join a great organization in the Astros and I can’t wait to get out there and play,” Barksdale said. “All I was looking for was a chance and now I have that opportunity to show what I can do.”
Barksdale, who was a two-time first team all-Atlantic 10 selection and Philadelphia Big 5 Player of the Year, batted .371 with 15 home runs and 56 RBI this season. The co-captain set career-highs in average, runs (53), hits (78), doubles (13), homers and slugging pct. (.638).
A Glenolden, PA native (Cardinal O'Hara), Barksdale broke Pete Dempsey's 31-year old career RBI record at Temple on May 8 vs. Saint Louis and finished his career with 162 runs batted in.
"Our entire team is extremely excited and proud of Sean," Temple head coach Rob Valli said. "He has an opportunity to play for a first class organization."
He finished third in career homers (27), fifth in hits (222), seventh in stolen bases (53), seventh in at-bats (642) and tenth in games started (156), despite playing only three seasons at TU after transferring from Gloucester County CC (NJ).
Barksdale's 15 home runs in 2009 are third in Temple's record book and his 56 RBI are fifth. His 78 hits are good for sixth on the single season list.
He led the Big 5 in total bases, runs, RBI, hits and home runs. In the A-10, Barksdale was third in home runs and total bases, fourth in hits, fifth in runs scored, sixth in average and slugging percentage, and seventh in RBI
His .485 batting average with runners in scoring position was among the nation's best and he improved that number to .526 in conference games.
Barksdale is expected to be assigned to the Tri-City ValleyCats, the short season A affiliate of the Astros or the Greenville (TN) Astros in the Appalachian League (Rookie). The ValleyCats play in the New York-Penn League, which features several organizations within driving distance of Temple including the Aberdeen Ironbirds, Brooklyn Cyclones, Hudson Valley Renegades, State College Spikes and Staten Island Yankees.
Current Astros general manager Ed Wade, who also held the same position for the Philadelphia Phillies, is a former Temple baseball letterwinner (1974-75).
Temple has had 23 players selected in the Major League Draft since 1966. Joe Kerrigan, currently the pitching coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates, was the earliest Owl to be picked when he went in the first round (tenth overall) to the Montreal Expos in 1974. A total of 46 players have signed professional contracts with affiliated or independent organizations.
