Wilmington local Stephen Batts and two UNCW Seahawks were selected in the MLB draft this week.

Batts, pictured left, was selected in the nineteenth round by the Philadelphia Phillies.  Batts is a Laney High grad and just completed his senior season at East Carolina last weekend as the Pirates were ousted in their super-regional against UNC.

It was another stellar  season for the fifth-year senior.  Batts maintained a .352 averaged while belting 14 homeruns and driving in 63 runs.  Batts also swiped 19 bases in 21 attempts.

Batts also spent time in the summer playing ball in Wilmington for the Sharks of the Coastal Plain League in 2007.  Last summer he got valuable wood-bat experience playing in the Cape Cod League.

UNC Wilmington rising junior righthander Daniel Cropper and in-coming freshman Blaze Tart were also selected in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft on Tuesday.

Cropper was picked by the Washington Nationals with the first pick of the 42nd round while Tart was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 33rd round.

Both players will have until August 17th to make their decision on whether to sign with their respective teams or return to school.

-Information in this story provided by UNCW Sports Information Department; Photo ECU