June 13, 2017
LINK: Solomon Goes To Houston In Fourth Round
By Michael Scholl
SECAUCUS, New Jersey — Sean Guenther and Brad Bass heard their names called in the seventh round of the 2017 MLB Draft, as Guenther was taken by the Miami Marlins and Bass picked by the Detroit Tigers.
Guenther was the 14th pick by the Marlins in the seventh round, good for 209th overall. The Tigers made Bass the 20th selection in the round at 215th overall.
Coupled with the selection of Peter Solomon in the fourth round by the Houston Astros, it marks the first time in program history Notre Dame has had three players selected in the first seven rounds of the draft. In addition, it is the third time in Irish baseball history at least three players went in the first 10 rounds of a given draft, the second under skipper Mik Aoki.
Most recently, the 2013 draft saw Eric Jagielo go to the Yankees in the first round, Dan Slania to the Giants in the fifth round and Trey Mancini to the Orioles in the eighth round. The program record for selections in the first 10 rounds was four in 2004 — Grant Johnson (second/Cubs), Matt Macri (fifth/Rockies), Chris Niesel (ninth/Indians) and Steve Sollmann (10th/Brewers).
Guenther emerged as the Irish closer in 2017, as the southpaw saved seven games while posting a 2.64 ERA and striking out 69 in 58.0 innings. He ranked eighth in the ACC in ERA. In his career, Guenther owns 13 saves and six victories to go with an ERA of 3.50 and 153 strikeouts in 182.1 innings.
Bass was a mainstay in the weekend rotation this season, making 15 starts and posting an ERA of 3.74. He struck out 80 hitters in 84.1 innings while opponents hit just .236 against the tall right-hander. In three seasons with the Irish, Bass has 122 strikeouts in 129.2 innings and a 7-9 record.
Like Solomon, who went from the 21st round out of high school to the fourth round in 2017, Guenther and Bass saw their stock skyrocket after three years at Notre Dame. Guenther was undrafted out of high school, while Bass was taken in the 33rd round by the Chicago Cubs.
Aoki has now seen 18 Notre Dame players selected during his tenure and 47 selections in his career. As a program, 112 Irish players have now been selected in the MLB Draft since it was instituted in 1965 and at least one Notre Dame baseball player has been selected every year since 1985.
— ND —
Michael Scholl joined Fighting Irish Media in August 2016, coordinating communications for the baseball program and assisting with the football team at his alma mater. The South Bend native earned a degree in political science from the College of Arts & Letters in 2009 before going on to work in athletics communications at Providence College, Vanderbilt and Cincinnati.