Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Three Players Selected on First Day of MLB Draft
6/7/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 7, 2004
Three Florida Atlantic University baseball players were drafted on the first day of the June Major League Baseball Draft on Monday. Jeff Fiorentino, Matt O'Brien and Randy Beam bring the total number of FAU players to move on to professional baseball to 66.
Fiorentino joins former Florida Atlantic University baseball players Billy Brown and Tommy Murphy as the highest players selected in the draft. All three players were selected in the third round. Fiorentino is the latest player to sign a professional contract as the Baltimore Orioles selected him with the 79th pick on Monday.
In Fiorentino's three-year career at FAU, the junior amassed 44 home runs, 42 doubles and 168 RBI. He ranks fifth in career doubles and second in career home runs in the FAU record books. This season he also assaulted single season records and scored 83 runs, the most in history and finished fourth in single season home runs and third in walks.
During his career at FAU, he has played three positions; outfield, catcher and first base. His versatility has guided the team to three championship rings in each of his collegiate seasons. As a freshman in 2002, he recorded the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth inning as Alabama to win the NCAA Regional. His sophomore season he was FAU win the Atlantic Sun Regular Season Title and was honored First Team All-Conference and Second Team All-Region. As a junior, the Hollywood, FL native saw FAU earn a ranking as high as 10th in the nation, again receive All-Conference recognition and saw the program win its first Atlantic Sun Tournament.
The Detroit Tigers selected right-handed pitcher Matt O'Brien in the 15th round. The senior from Royal Palm Beach has spent four years at FAU and has put together a 3.69 ERA, 20-6 record and 174 strikeouts in 207.1 innings. O'Brien earned All-Conference recognition in 2004 as he finished in 26th in the nation in wins.
Left-handed pitcher Randy Beam will play for the Boston Red Sox organization. Boston selected the 2003 All-American in the 18th round. In Beam's two-year career in Boca Raton he has put together a 23-6 record, 2.08 ERA and six complete games. As a junior he finished sixth in the nation in victories and 33rd in ERA.
The draft will continue Tuesday.
