Hassebrock turns pro by signing with Oakland Athletics
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Former UNCG pitcher Blake Hassebrock has decided to forego his senior season after signing a contract with the Oakland Athletics, the team recently announced.
Hassebrock was taken in the eighth round by the Athletics in June as part of the 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. It marked the 14th time in the past 15 years that at least one UNCG player has been drafted. He is also the 12th pitcher in the past 14 seasons to be drafted.
Hassebrock will begin his professional career by reporting to the Arizona League Athletics, the rookie-ball affiliate of the Athletics. After that, he will move on to the Vancouver Canadians, which is the short-season single-A affiliate.
If Hassebrock pitches well in Vancouver, he has the potential to join former teammate Rob Gilliam with the Kane County Cougars, who are the single-A affiliate. In 2009, Gilliam, like Hassebrock, was drafted by the Athletics in the eighth round.
After spending his first two seasons as almost strictly a reliever, Hassebrock split time between the starting rotation and the bullpen this season. Hassebrock, who sports a low- to mid-90s fastball, made 21 appearances this past season, with 11 of those being starts.
In his 21 appearances, he managed to hold his opponents to three earned runs or less 16 times. He finished second on the team this past season with 61 strikeouts in 73 innings, including 25 of those strike outs coming with the batter looking.
In perhaps his best start of the season, Hassebrock went seven innings against Princeton, while allowing just one run on three hits and striking out five batters. He had his only complete game of the season against Samford and picked up his lone save against Davidson.
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