Wildcat pitcher selected in second round of MLB draft

Junior pitcher Brian Slocum (Eastchester, N.Y.) was selected with the 63^rd pick by the Cleveland Indians in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

Slocum arrived at Villanova as one of the most highly touted high school players to ever sign with the baseball program. He finished his freshman season 4-4 with a 2.62 ERA. The right-hander started 11 games in 2000, completing four. He accumulated 75.2 innings and allowed just 36 runs (22 earned) on 62 hits, striking out 51 and walking 45. Slocum’s earned run average placed him among the national leaders in that category.

For the first time in his career, he hit hard times as a sophomore. A rotator cuff tendonitis injury limited the 2001 season. He had three solid starts when injury struck on March 18 and his season ended.

The Wildcat ace returned in top form this season and showed why he was one of the Big East’s and the nation’s top major league prospects. He finished the 2002 season 4-2 with a 3.41 ERA striking out 65 batters and walking only 28 in 68.1 innings. In his final start of the year at Seton Hall, Slocum threw his first career complete game shutout striking out seven Pirate batters in a 1-0 win.

While the June 4 draft approached, his stock was on the rise with Baseball America ranking him as the No. 1 prospect in the state and the 40^th best player nationally in a list of all high school and college draft eligible players.

After his selection, Slocum said, “Any team that would have taken me would have been great. I think Cleveland is a good candidate for me because they lack a lot of depth in the pitching category throughout their farm system, so if I work hard maybe I can move up quickly.”

This is the second draft experience for Slocum. He was drafted out of high school in the 14^th round by the Minnesota Twins in 1999.

Slocum joins Mike Neill ’91 (60^th overall by the Oakland Athletics) and Gary Scott ’89 (37^th overall by the Chicago Cubs) as the only Wildcats taken in the second round.