The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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80 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2018 MICHIGAN IN THE PROS selections are the most of any Big Ten club in that span, narrowly edging out Michigan State's seven. "Coach Beilein helped me out so much, along with the whole staff," Wagner said after he was chosen. "They're all here, and they all sup- port me so much. I'm so grateful to have all these great people around me. I wouldn't have been able to do any of this without them. "This means so much to me, and I'm going to give it my all [in Los Angeles] — 100 percent every day. That's all that matters. I love basket- ball and whatever happens, happens. I'm going to love it and leave it all out there." That's precisely what Wagner had done in NBA Summer League action with the Lakers through July 16. He averaged 10.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in three games; the lat- ter two numbers led the squad. U-M EXPERIENCES SUCCESSFUL MLB DRAFT Junior left-handed pitcher William Tribucher was selected by the Colo- rado Rockies in the 14th round of the MLB Draft in early June, marking the sixth straight year the U-M baseball team had at least one of its players claimed. The 6-3, 200-pounder has already started his pro career, but appeared in 67 games for the Wolverines dur- ing his three-year tenure in Ann Ar- bor — five starts and 62 bullpen ap- pearances — and tallied a 3.81 ERA in 113 1 ⁄3 innings. He led all Maize and Blue relievers in innings pitched this past season (36 2 ⁄3), while accumulating four wins, four saves and a 3.44 ERA. Following Tribucher 's selection, the Wolverines saw two more of their current team members come off the board in the later rounds, when senior right-handed pitcher Jayce Vancena (Detroit Tigers) and junior outfielder Jonathan Engel- mann (Cleveland Indians) were each grabbed in the 31st round. Vancena tossed 143 2 ⁄3 career innings during his four years in a Michigan uniform, racking up 60 total appear- ances (15 starts). The Ohio native competed in 14 af- fairs (five starts) in 2018, and posted three wins in 30 2 ⁄3 innings pitched. Engelmann, meanwhile, has seen action in 150 career contests in three seasons with the Maize and Blue, compiling 134 starts and a .297 bat- ting average. He also racked up an impressive 33 steals, .373 on-base percentage and a .411 slugging per- centage. In 2018, Engelmann started all 54 games in center field for the Wolver- ines and batted .351 with a .431 on- base percentage and a .521 slugging percentage. The center fielder also led the club in hits with 74 and found himself on the first-team All-Big Ten squad at season's end. Like Tribu- MICHIGAN ATHLETICS ENJOYS ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR IN PROFESSIONAL DRAFTS After a 2017 NFL Draft that saw a school-record 11 players selected, only two Wolverines — Mason Cole and Maurice Hurst — heard their names called in the 2018 edition, but the Maize and Blue still endured plenty of success in other professional drafts this year. Baseball led the way, with three current U-M standouts, two recruits and a Maize and Blue football player (junior quarterback Shea Patterson) hearing their names called in the annual June event. Although the MLS (Major League Soccer), NBA and NHL drafts each only wit- nessed one U-M student-athlete selected, all three were first-round picks. Men's soccer midfielder Francis Atuahene was the highest of the bunch, going fourth overall in the MLS Draft to FC Dallas. Ice hockey rising sophomore defenseman Quinn Hughes wasn't far behind, being claimed seventh overall by the Vancouver Canucks. Hughes now must decide whether to play in the professional ranks next season or return to U-M for his sophomore campaign. Finally, men's basketball forward Moritz Wagner was claimed by the Los Ange- les Lakers with the 25th overall pick in the first round of the NBA Draft, further enhancing head coach John Beilein's reputation as one of the game's best talent developers. In all, 10 current Wolverines were selected in professional drafts in 2018 (along with the two baseball recruits), including three who heard their names called in the first round. Here is a complete list of the draftees from Michigan athletics: Sport Pos. Name Round Overall Pick New Team MLB LHP Drew Rom* 4 115 Baltimore Orioles MLB LHP William Tribucher 14 426 Colorado Rockies MLB LHP Steven Hajjar^ 21 635 Milwaukee Brewers MLB RHP Jayce Vancena 31 915 Detroit Tigers MLB OF Jonathan Engelmann 31 943 Cleveland Indians MLB 3B Shea Patterson# 39 1,169 Texas Rangers MLL M Chase Young 4 35 Denver Outlaws MLS F Francis Atuahene 1 4 FC Dallas NBA F Moritz Wagner 1 25 Los Angeles Lakers NFL OL Mason Cole 3 97 Arizona Cardinals NFL DT Maurice Hurst Jr. 5 140 Oakland Raiders NHL D Quinn Hughes 1 7 Vancouver Canucks * Recruit who won't play at U-M; ^ Recruit who will play at U-M; # U-M football player — Austin Fox Junior left-handed pitcher William Tribucher was one of six athletes with U-M ties selected in the MLB Draft in early June, going in the 14th round to the Colorado Rockies. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY