WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Big Ten stolen base champion Curtis Washington Jr. became the second member of Purdue baseball to be selected in the 2022 edition of the Major League Baseball Draft after the Seattle Mariners picked the center fielder in the 19th Round on Tuesday.
Selected with the 20th pick in the 19th Round and 576th overall, Washington joins Jackson Smeltz (10th Round to San Diego) as Boilermakers drafted this year. Purdue had two players picked for the first time since Tanner Andrews, Nick Dalesandro and Jacson McGowan were all selected in the first 11 rounds of the 2018 MLB Draft.
Washington graduated high school in 2018 but has an additional year of collegiate eligibility remaining should he opt to utilize it. College players that choose not to sign with the team that drafts them would be eligible to be selected again next summer in the 2023 MLB Draft. When incoming freshmen decline to sign and enroll at a four-year college, they are committed to playing collegiately through at least their junior season unless they have their 21st birthday prior to that year's draft.
Washington accounted for 31 of Purdue's team-record 116 stolen bases this season, posting just the third 30-steal season in program history. He also led the team with 69 hits and 52 runs scored while starting all 50 games in center field. He provided elite defense as the captain of the outfield.
Washington reached base safely in 47 of the Boilermakers' 50 games, including 29 in a row from March 10 to May 7. He became the first Purdue player with 25 steals and 50 runs scored since 2005. After playing his first two seasons at Arkansas and the 2021 campaign at Wabash Valley College, the transfer was recognized as the Boilermakers' newcomer of the year for 2022.
Pitcher Matt Bischoff (2010) was the last Boilermaker drafted by Seattle. Purdue's past connections to the Mariners include former head coach Dave Alexander and university alumnus Chuck Armstrong. Alexander was a longtime scout for Seattle and Armstrong served as the president of the franchise from 1993 to 2014.
Selected with the 20th pick in the 19th Round and 576th overall, Washington joins Jackson Smeltz (10th Round to San Diego) as Boilermakers drafted this year. Purdue had two players picked for the first time since Tanner Andrews, Nick Dalesandro and Jacson McGowan were all selected in the first 11 rounds of the 2018 MLB Draft.
Washington graduated high school in 2018 but has an additional year of collegiate eligibility remaining should he opt to utilize it. College players that choose not to sign with the team that drafts them would be eligible to be selected again next summer in the 2023 MLB Draft. When incoming freshmen decline to sign and enroll at a four-year college, they are committed to playing collegiately through at least their junior season unless they have their 21st birthday prior to that year's draft.
Washington accounted for 31 of Purdue's team-record 116 stolen bases this season, posting just the third 30-steal season in program history. He also led the team with 69 hits and 52 runs scored while starting all 50 games in center field. He provided elite defense as the captain of the outfield.
Washington reached base safely in 47 of the Boilermakers' 50 games, including 29 in a row from March 10 to May 7. He became the first Purdue player with 25 steals and 50 runs scored since 2005. After playing his first two seasons at Arkansas and the 2021 campaign at Wabash Valley College, the transfer was recognized as the Boilermakers' newcomer of the year for 2022.
Pitcher Matt Bischoff (2010) was the last Boilermaker drafted by Seattle. Purdue's past connections to the Mariners include former head coach Dave Alexander and university alumnus Chuck Armstrong. Alexander was a longtime scout for Seattle and Armstrong served as the president of the franchise from 1993 to 2014.