NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt right fielder JJ Bleday was selected fourth overall in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Miami Marlins on Monday night, becoming the 16th Commodore in the last 15 years to be selected in the opening round.
The Panama City Beach, Florida, native leads the nation in home runs (26) and paces the SEC in slugging percentage (.739) and total bases (178). Bleday has reached base in 87 of his last 88 games and is riding a 41-game on-base streak entering the NCAA Super Regionals.
Bleday was named both SEC Player of the Year and SEC Tournament MVP after helping lead the Commodores to their first conference regular season championship since 2013, first league tournament title since 2007 and eighth super regional appearance in the last 10 seasons.
Dreams coming true.
A true professional on and off the field. #MLBDraft | #VandyBoys pic.twitter.com/gXSTVysCZ0
— Vanderbilt Baseball (@VandyBoys) June 4, 2019
He becomes the 30th Commodore outfielder to be drafted and the 154th Vanderbilt player to be selected all-time. Bleday is the ninth Vanderbilt player to be drafted in the top-10 overall in the Tim Corbin era and highest since Dansby Swanson was taken first overall in 2015.
The first two rounds of the MLB Draft run through Monday night on the MLB Network and MLB.com. The draft picks back up Tuesday with rounds 3-10 on MLB.com beginning at noon. Rounds 11-40 are slated for Wednesday at 11 a.m.
