FULLERTON, Calif. – Three-time All-American outfielder and closer Michael Lorenzen was selected as the 38th overall pick by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Thursday.
In addition to garnering three consecutive All-American nods in three years at Cal State Fullerton, Lorenzen has earned back-to-back Big West First Team accolades, and was recently named one of five finalists for the ninth annual National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award.
Entering this weekend's Super Regional against UCLA, Lorenzen has totaled 35 saves in just two years on the mound, breaking the all-time Fullerton record in last weekend's 1-0 shutout win over Arizona State in game two of the Fullerton Regional.
Lorenzen is 19-for-22 in save attempts this season, but in three blown save attempts, kept the Titans within reach to record the win (3-0). In addition, Lorenzen's 19 stops rank fourth in the country.
In 22 appearances this year, Lorenzen has tossed 22 and 2/3 innings, striking out 20 and managing a 1.99 ERA while holding opposing batters to a .205 clip. At the plate, Lorenzen is batting .335 with a team-leading 53 RBIs while managing a .523 slugging percentage, with 40 runs scored, 73 hits, 12 doubles, four triples and a team-leading seven home runs.
Lorenzen has also totaled 20 multiple-hit games and 12 multiple-RBI games. His 13-game hitting streak from March 15-April 2 was the longest for any Titan this season, as Fullerton went 12-1 during that stretch while Lorenzen batted .469 with 19 RBIs, three doubles, three home runs and 13 runs scored.
The native of Anaheim, Calif., was recently named a Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist and a Louisville Slugger First Team All-American. In addition, he was announced as one of 12 players named to the latest John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award watch list.
Lorenzen was also named as a semifinalist for the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association's 2013 Dick Howser Trophy. On April 12, 2013, Lorenzen blew his first save in the last 17 opportunities, ending a streak of 16 straight that dated back to May 1, 2012.
Lorenzen's selection marks the 39th consecutive year the Titans have had at least one player selected in the MLB Draft. Lorenzen was also selected in the "Competitive Balance Round" (sandwich pick rounds 1-2), the highest pick for the Fullerton baseball program since Christian Colon (4th overall, Kansas City) and Gary Brown (24th overall, San Francisco) were first-round selections in 2010.