On Tuesday, June 13, Oakland University baseball player Zach Sterry was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the eighth round (251st overall pick) of the Major League Baseball draft. This marks the second highest draft pick in Oakland history.

The Red Sox drafted Sterry as a first basemen, and they also inquired about his past as a catcher, according to an article published by the Mansfield News Journal. 

The Mansfield, Ohio native spent four years playing at Oakland before being drafted by the Sox.

“It just happened that I got a call early on that they were probably going to take me in the eighth round and they did,” Sterry told the Detroit Free Press.

“The Red Sox were the one team I wanted because he (the scout) was talking about how I would go to Lowell, Massachusetts, to start and I have family in that area,” Sterry said in an interview with the Mansfield News Journal.

“Zach came to OU a star teammate and a model student,” coach Jacke Healey said. “This was 100 percent earned. In two, three or four years, he’ll be playing in Fenway.”

Along with the draft pick, Sterry also earned American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings honors.

In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Sterry was quoted saying he: “Got a new confidence and was feeling good.”

Even though Sterry ended his career at OU with a broken hand after being hit by a pitch in a game against Northern Kentucky, he still had an honorable final season, appearing in  and starting in a total of 48 games at first base.

During his final season at Oakland, Sterry had a batting average of .346. He also had 14 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs and 44 RBIs (Runs Batted In). 

Sterry also led the Horizon League in slugging percentage with a .643. This had him ranked 34th nationally. He also reached base safely for 38 consecutive games from February 24 through May 7.

“[He] was in the four hole as a freshman, hit in the three hole this year,” Healey said.

During his 2016 season, Sterry led the Golden Grizzlies in doubles with a total of 15. He was also named the Horizon League Batter of the Week on March 28 after going 6-for-12 with a .571 on-base percentage and a .917 slugging percentage in a three-game sweep at Northern Kentucky.

“Offensively, there’s not a guy close to him,” Healey said. 

While his time with the Golden Grizzlies has come to an end, Sterry’s baseball career is far from over.

The Red Sox are currently sitting at second in the American League East, .001 percent behind the New York Yankees. All of the players stats can be found on their website, as well as game highlights and clips.