FIVE PAST AND PRESENT NAVIGATORS SELECTED IN 2010 MLB DRAFT

LYNN, MA (June 9, 2010) – Five former and current North Shore Navigators were selected in the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft, which came to its conclusion on Wednesday.

The following players selected in this year's MLB Draft all played on last year's 2009 Navigators team:
Kevin Chapman, LHP (Florida) – 4th round by the Kansas City Royals
Matthew Lewis, RHP (Univ. of Cal-Davis) – 10th round by the Atlanta Braves
Jason Markovitz, LHP (Long Beach State) – 13th round by the Seattle Mariners
Patrick Brady, INF (Bellarmine College) – 48th round by the Seattle Mariners

In addition, current Navigators' first baseman Ben Waldrip out of Cypress College in California was drafted in the 42nd round by the Atlanta Braves. Waldrip, a Medford native, hit .246 for the Chargers this spring after transferring from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. He is currently scheduled to attend Jacksonville State in the fall.

Chapman, a senior at Florida, has gone 3-0 with a 1.28 ERA in 29 appearances out of the bullpen for the Gators. Opposing batters are hitting just .179 against the 6-foot-4 left-handed reliever, and the Florida native has struck out 42 batters over 42.1 innings. He has been consistently throwing at 96 mph despite having undergone Tommy John surgery that cost him his entire 2008 season.

Lewis, a 6-foot-3 righthander, was 2-0 with a 4.33 ERA and seven saves for the Aggies in 2010. The California native also had 25 strikeouts in 27 innings and was named to the All-Big West Conference second team.

Markovitz had a 2-2 record with a 2.93 ERA in 25 appearances out of the bullpen for Long Beach State. The crafty lefty had a 34:15 K:BB ratio over 27.2 innings, and finished his career with 69 appearances– good for ninth most in school history – following his senior season this spring.

Brady had a monster year at Bellarmine, hitting .379 with 13 home runs and 56 RBIs in 58 games for the Knights. His .694 slugging percentage was second best in the Great Lakes Valley conference.