Mervis Drafted by Washington Nationals

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke baseball signee Matt Mervis was chosen by the Washington Nationals in the 39th round (No. 1174 overall) of the 2016 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft Saturday.

Mervis, an infielder/pitcher from Potomac, Md., is the third Blue Devil signee drafted in 2016, joining Will Benson (Cleveland Indians, 1st Round) and Adam Laskey (San Francisco Giants, 31st Round).

It comes as no surprise that Matt would go in this year's MLB Draft,” said head coach Chris Pollard. “He is absolutely one of the top two-way players in the country. He's a unique combination of exceptional corner infielder and power arm on the mound. We're excited for Matt and proud of his accomplishments.”

This past season, Mervis earned Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-America honors as well as Atlantic – All-Region First Team distinction. He guided Georgetown Prep, also the high school alma mater of former Blue Devil Michael Matuella, to the 2015 Interstate Athletic Conference championship, posting .409 batting average with 39 RBI to go along with a 0.10 ERA.

Mervis was invited to the East Coast Pro Showcase, which provides a venue for the premier youth baseball players across the Eastern United States to compete in a professional environment. He was also invited to the USA Baseball Tournament of Stars, which is comprised of 108 of the nation's top players that are international age-eligible for 18U National Team consideration.

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