Owls Have Pair Selected on Final Day of MLB Draft

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at Louisiana

Oct 11

1 PM

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vs McClennan JC

Oct 26

Noon

Reckling Park

Junior reliever Matthew Linskey became the second member of Rice's 2023 bullpen to be selected in the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft when the Arizona Diamondbacks took him in the 16^th round as the 475^th player selected in this year's draft. Hayden Durke, who did not pitch for the Owls this season, was also selected by the Diamondbacks (13^th round, 285^th player).

Linskey set career-highs for wins (4), appearances (26), innings (42.2), and strikeouts (56) this past season. He opened the season by matching his career-high by striking out 8 in 3.2 innings vs. Louisiana on February 19 and fanned five or more in four additional games (6 at UAB on March 17, and 5 at Sam Houston on February 28, vs. HCU on March 10, and vs. Charlotte on April 16).

He earned his first career win at Sam Houston on February 28 and closed the year with wins in back-to-back appearances vs. FIU on May 18 & 19 as the Owls clinched the final spot at the C-USA Championship. He was 4-0 with a 2.18 ERA and both saves in 12 appearances at night and held righthanded hitters to a .149 batting average (14x94).

The Diamondbacks last selected an Owl in 2016 when they drafted Jon Duplantier in the third round.

Durke and Linskey joined with Justin Long (7^th round by Atlanta) giving the Owls multiple draft picks for the first time since 2019 when a total of six players were selected.

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