SECAUCUS, New Jersey — San Jacinto College sophomore pitcher Jackson Rutledge was selected by the Washington Nationals as the 17th overall pick in the first round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.
"I am so excited for Jackson," said San Jacinto College Baseball Head Coach Tom Arrington. "He was the top JUCO pitcher in the country this year. Not only does he possess the athletic ability, but he has a strong worth ethic and is a player who makes those around him better. Jackson is a wonderful young man that is going to have an outstanding career in professional baseball. We at San Jac are extremely proud of him."
Rutledge (St. Louis, Missouri / Rockwood Summit HS / University of Arkansas) was the first junior college player selected in this year's draft. He was a unanimous overall No. 1 pick for the National Junior College Athletic Association Region XIV all-region team. Rutledge recorded one of the best seasons on record at San Jacinto College. His 0.88 ERA led the nation. He went 10-1 for San Jac, with four complete games over 82.2 innings pitched, and he was second in strikeouts across the country with 134 (14.6 per game). Last month, Rutledge was named the first ever USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award semifinalist from San Jacinto College.
About San Jacinto College
Surrounded by monuments of history, industries, and maritime enterprises of today, and the space age of tomorrow, San Jacinto College has served the citizens of East Harris County, Texas, since 1961. The College is fiscally sound, holding bond ratings of AA and Aa2 by Standard & Poor's and Moody's. San Jacinto College is a 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence Top 10 institution, a 2017 Aspen Prize Rising Star Award recipient, and an Achieving the Dream Leader College. The College serves approximately 45,000 credit and non-credit students annually, and offers eight areas of study that put students on a path to transfer to four-year institutions or enter the workforce. San Jacinto College's impact on the region totals $1.3 billion in added income, which supports 13,044 jobs.
For more information about San Jacinto College call 281-998-6150, visit sanjac.edu or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
