Matthews, Hernandez Selected In Major League Baseball Draft
Jun 09 | Baseball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (June 9, 2010) – Rutgers junior Jaren Matthews (Teaneck, N.J.) and senior Jayson Hernandez (Belmar, N.J.) were each selected on the third day of the 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Wednesday. Matthews was drafted in the 32nd round (967 overall) by the Cincinnati Reds, while Hernandez was picked in the 41st round (1,253 overall) by the Boston Red Sox.
“Both Jaren and Jayson were a major part of our success the past three seasons,” said Rutgers head baseball coach Fred Hill. “Jaren has been a standout first baseman and solid power hitter for us since he arrived here. We were happy to see Jayson come back to his home state University in 2008 after a year at Winthrop. He was solid for us behind the plate with a strong arm.”
The pair join junior Pat Biserta (Pt. Pleasant, N.J.), who was selected in the 24th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.
Matthews batted .305 with 17 doubles, two triples and seven home runs as RU’s cleanup hitter this past season. He drew a team-high 30 walks and recorded a team-best 16 stolen bases in 18 attempts.
A two-time All-BIG EAST selection in 2008 and 2009, Matthews has started every game for the Scarlet Knights in his first three years and owns 162 career starts as RU’s starting first baseman. He drove in 44 runs and scored 44 his junior season. The Scarlet Knight hit .328 as a sophomore and .294 as a freshman. Matthews earned Freshman All-American honors by both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball following his rookie season in 2008.
Matthews owns a .309 career batting average (193-for-625) with 122 runs batted in and 122 runs scored to go along with 81 walks in his three seasons “On the Banks.” He has hit 36 doubles, five triples and 23 home runs in his first three seasons. Matthews is tied for ninth in Rutgers history in career home runs. Among his 23 career blasts was a walk-off home run to break a scoreless tie against Cincinnati in the bottom of the ninth during his sophomore season.
Hernandez has been the Scarlet Knights’ starting catcher the last two seasons after the Belmar native transferred back to his home state prior to the 2008 season following a year at Winthrop University. He hit .312 with four home runs in the middle of the Scarlet Knights’ lineup this past season. The senior scored 25 runs and drove in 25 runs in 2010. He also drew 19 walks. The strong-armed catcher threw out 15 would-be base stealers this past spring and totaled 41 pickoffs in his three-year career “On the Banks.” He hit .281 (117-for-416) in his four-year college career and .293 (112-for-382) in his three seasons at Rutgers. The senior posted 13 doubles, one triple and four home runs in his three-year Scarlet Knight career. He played in 120 career games with 107 career starts in his three seasons at Rutgers.
Rutgers finished the 2010 season 30-26 overall and placed sixth in the BIG EAST. RU reached the semifinals of the conference tournament, earning wins against second-seeded Connecticut and third-seeded Pittsburgh along the way. The Scarlet Knights gave Hill his 1,000th career coaching victory in April of this past season.
