Baseball | 6/13/2017 11:39:00 AM
ROCHESTER, NY – Former RIT baseball standout
Will Gorman (Nassau, NY/Columbia) was selected in the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Wednesday, June 14. Gorman was selected in the 32nd round by the Arizona Diamondbacks, 952nd overall. He is the fourth Tiger to be selected overall in the MLB draft and first in 34 years.
Gorman wrapped up an incredible four-year career in 2017, helping lead the Tigers to a school record 33 wins, their first Liberty League Championship, and berth in the NCAA Tournament. He appeared in all 42 games for the Tigers in 2017, shuttling between right field and center field. Offensively, Gorman set RIT single season records with 10 home runs, 50 runs scored, 34 walks, and 107 total bases. He also led the team with a .485 on-base percentage, 677 slugging percentage, 26 extra base hits and 43 RBIs. Gorman homered twice, scored four runs, drove in four runs, and reached base nine times in two NCAA Tournament games.
The honors rolled in for Gorman in 2017, as he was named the Liberty League Player of the Year, in addition to earning all-league first team honors for the third straight season. Gorman also earned ABCA All-New York Region and D3baseball.com first team honors for the third straight season. in 2017 and was a preseason honorable mention All-American pick. On May 8, Gorman was named RIT's Senior Co-Male Athlete of the Year.
Gorman is RIT's first three-time All-New York Region selection and the university's first three-time All-Liberty League first team pick. In addition, Gorman earned CoSIDA Academic All-District accolades. He exceled in the classroom as well with 3.58 grade-point average, earning his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, while also working on a master's degree in public policy.
"I couldn't be happier for Will," said RIT head coach
Rob Grow. "He is truly deserving of this honor not only as a player, but as a person. Will has worked hard day in and day out for years to get to this point. He is an incredible representative of our program."
Gorman finished his career as RIT's all-time leader with 27 homers and 155 RBIs, 343 total bases, and a .641 slugging percentage. He is also in the top-three in six other categories, including hits (195), runs scored (128), at-bats (536), doubles (35), triples (16) and walks (73).
Named the NCBWA Division III Hitter of the Week on April 27, Gorman was also a two-time Liberty League Performer and RIT Male Athlete of the Week in 2017. He was named to the Liberty League Championship All-Tournament Team for the second time in 2017 and also was a 2017 NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Region All-Tournament Team selection.
Gorman joins Scott Makela (1975, Houston Astros – 10th Round, 230th Selection), Jeff Hall (1980, Boston Red Sox – 4th Round, 101st Selection), and Mickey Street (1983, Cleveland Indians – 10th Round, 247th Selection) as the only Tigers to be selected in the MLB Draft.
"We are very excited to see Will take the next step in his baseball journey at the professional level," said Grow, who recently finished his 25th season at RIT in 2017.
