Three Spartans Selected In MLB Draft
6/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 4, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State junior outfielder Bob Malek, senior infielder Jared Koutnik and senior pitcher Nick Bates were selected on the opening day of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, conducted Tuesday (June 4) in New York City. Malek, who was named to the Louisville Slugger All-American Team, became the first Spartan drafted, going in the fourth round - No. 117 overall - to the New York Mets. Koutnik went in the 16th round, No. 486 overall, to the New York Yankees while Bates was taken in the 22nd round, No. 648 overall, by the Kansas City Royals.
Malek, who became the first Spartan baseball player to earn first-team All-America recognition since Kirk Gibson in 1978, shared Big Ten Player of the Year honors with Minnesota's Luke Appert and Indiana's Kennard Jones. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound right fielder led the Big Ten in total bases (163) and tied for the league lead in home runs (16). Malek ranked second in the conference in runs scored (66), doubles (21), RBI (66) and slugging percentage (.744). In addition, he finished third in the Big Ten in batting (.402) and hits (88).
A native of Canton, Mich., Malek had 25 multi-hit and 17 multi-RBI games in 2002. He also put together a season-high 17-game hitting streak.
Malek, a third-team All-America selection as a sophomore, has batted over .400 each of the last two seasons, including a .427 average in 2001. He already ranks as Michigan State's career leader in hits (245) and RBI (162).
"The New York Mets got a steal in the fourth round by selecting Bob Malek," Spartan head coach Ted Mahan said. "Some scouts have compared Bob to (St. Louis Cardinal) J.D. Drew and there are many similarities because both guys can throw, run, hit and hit for power. Bob has all of the physical tools - a short swing and quick bat - but his greatest asset is his ability to use the entire field in each at-bat.
"The bottom line is Bob can help you win ballgames in so many ways. Complete players like him don't come around that often."
"I'm really excited about going to the New York Mets," Malek, who monitored the draft while studying in MSU's Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center, said. "The Mets have a great fan base and New York is an exciting place to play. I just hope to get into a big-league uniform real soon.
"It's tough to leave Michigan State because I loved playing here but it's time for me to take the next step in my career. I've matured here as both a player and a person. I had a great experience playing baseball at Michigan State and it's very flattering to have my name mentioned with the likes of Kirk Gibson and Steve Garvey."
The 6-2, 195-pound Koutnik started 52 games in 2002, including 42 at shortstop and 10 at second base. He missed the last four games of the season after fracturing the ring finger on his right hand the day before the Big Ten Tournament. Koutnik ranked among the Big Ten leaders in batting (eighth at .376), hits (sixth at 79), home runs (tied for ninth at 11) and total bases (sixth at 131) in 2002. The Milwaukee native had 23 multi-hit games and produced the team's second-longest hitting streak at 14 games.
"Jared Koutnik has been drafted by the premier organization in Major League Baseball," Mahan said. "He has been presented a great opportunity as a senior. Jared went relatively high in the draft for a senior. He transferred to Michigan State from junior college because he wanted to have a chance to play at the professional level. And in two years, Jared has earned the opportunity to play in the majors."
"It's a great honor to be drafted by the New York Yankees," Koutnik said. "The tradition of the Yankees, with 26 World Series championships, is second to none.
"I worked out for the Yankees in Columbus, Ohio, last Saturday. I had a good workout but I'm still surprised by the selection. I was a little nervous heading into the draft, because I didn't know if the injury might turn off some teams."
Bates, a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2002, ranked among the league leaders in wins (third at nine), opposing batting average (tied for second at .232), strikeouts (third at 100), earned run average (fifth at 2.97) and innings pitched (ninth at 88.0). The 6-3, 210-pound right-hander won his first seven starts en route to a 9-3 record. His 100 strikeouts mark the fourth-best single-season total in Spartan history.
A native of Blissfield, Mich., Bates recorded 157 career strikeouts, good for ninth on MSU's all-time list.
"Nick Bates had a remarkable senior year," Mahan said. "Nick had a chance to win each of his 12 starts. And he was almost unhittable in eight of those 12 starts.
"Nick is a fierce competitor who throws strikes. He has a good fastball that reaches the upper 80s and a hard slider. He mixes pitches well and has the confidence to throw the hard slider anytime in the count."
"It's been a long day," Bates said. "It took all 22 rounds today before I got a phone call, but it's a nice surprise. Kansas City has a good farm system and I should get a good look because the Royals' pitching has struggled.
"The last three years have been a lot of fun. I really enjoyed my senior year because we had a good ballclub. I hated to see the year end but now it's time to begin another chapter in my baseball career."
Malek, Koutnik and Bates played a key role in helping Michigan State to a 38-19 record in 2002, including a 16-12 mark in Big Ten play. The Spartans finished third in the final conference standings and advanced to the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 1994.
The Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, rounds 23-50, concludes Wednesday, June 5 in New York City.