CANISIUS COLLEGE ATHLETICS
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Canisius senior pitcher Tyler Smith was selected in the eighth round (241st overall) in the 2018 Major League Baseball Draft by the Los Angeles Angels. Smith is the 14th player in program history to be drafted, and he is the 13th Golden Griffin to be selected by an MLB franchise since 2004.
With his selection in the eighth round on Tuesday, the Trafford, Pa., native becomes the highest draft pick for Canisius since former Griffs hurler Joe Mamott was taken in the sixth round of the 1994 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox.
“This is an absolute blessing, first and foremost,” Smith said. “To hear my name called was unreal. This is something I have been working towards for the last 18-plus years of my life. To be able to take this next step in baseball is surreal.”
“I am very happy for Tyler, he has worked extremely hard for this opportunity,” Canisius head coach Matt Mazureksaid. “I believe this next chapter in his career is going to be the perfect environment for him to continue to grow and develop. It will be exciting to follow his career in professional baseball.”
The 2018 MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year and a 2018 MAAC Baseball Championship All-Tournament Team selection, Smith posted a 12-6 record with 22 saves and a 2.50 ERA in 89 career appearances in Blue and Gold. He led the MAAC with his 10 saves in 2018, where he boasted an ERA of 0.98. In his final 47 career appearances over his junior and senior seasons, he allowed just 15 runs, with only five of those runs being earned.
Smith went 1-0 with a save and six strikeouts in 4.1 innings of relief work to help lead Canisius to the 2018 MAAC Baseball Championship, the program’s third league title in the last six seasons.
Smith is the first Canisius player to be drafted by the Los Angeles Angels, and he is the first Canisius pitcher to have his name called in the draft since former Griff Devon Stewart was taken by the Cleveland Indians in 2015.
With Smith’s selection on Tuesday, all 14 Canisius players drafted have been taken by teams in the American League.
Canisius Draft Picks
• Tyler Smith – 2018 (Los Angeles Angels, 8th Round)
• Jake Lumley – 2017 (Oakland Athletics, 33rd Round)
• Brett Siddall # – 2015 (Oakland Athletics, 13th round)
• Connor Panas – 2015 (Toronto Blue Jays, 9th round)
• Devon Stewart – 2015 (Cleveland Indians, 9th round)
• Rohn Pierce # – 2014 (Seattle Mariners, 19th round)
• Garrett Cortright # – 2013 (Baltimore Orioles, 40th round)
• Sean Jamieson – 2011 (Oakland Athletics, 17th round)
• Chris Cox – 2011 (Toronto Blue Jays, 39th round)
• Shane Davis – 2011 (Toronto Blue Jays, 42nd round)
• Steve McQuail # – 2010 (Toronto Blue Jays, 30th round)
• Kevin Mahoney – 2009 (New York Yankees, 23rd round)
• Kevin Mailloux – 2009 (Seattle Mariners, 45th round)
• Joe Mamott # – 1994 (Boston Red Sox, 6th round)
• Jake Lumley – 2017 (Oakland Athletics, 33rd Round)
• Brett Siddall # – 2015 (Oakland Athletics, 13th round)
• Connor Panas – 2015 (Toronto Blue Jays, 9th round)
• Devon Stewart – 2015 (Cleveland Indians, 9th round)
• Rohn Pierce # – 2014 (Seattle Mariners, 19th round)
• Garrett Cortright # – 2013 (Baltimore Orioles, 40th round)
• Sean Jamieson – 2011 (Oakland Athletics, 17th round)
• Chris Cox – 2011 (Toronto Blue Jays, 39th round)
• Shane Davis – 2011 (Toronto Blue Jays, 42nd round)
• Steve McQuail # – 2010 (Toronto Blue Jays, 30th round)
• Kevin Mahoney – 2009 (New York Yankees, 23rd round)
• Kevin Mailloux – 2009 (Seattle Mariners, 45th round)
• Joe Mamott # – 1994 (Boston Red Sox, 6th round)
# – selected as a junior
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