NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State senior catcher Jean Ramirez was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft Saturday afternoon.
Ramirez, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, was a standout member of Illinois State's baseball team the past two seasons. He was the 28th round selection of Tampa Bay, and the 840th overall selection in the draft.
"It's an incredibly exciting feeling," Ramirez said Saturday. "When I heard my name called, I immediately burst into tears because of how exciting and unbelievable it was. Today has been a dream come true for me."
Ramirez slashed .271/.329/.424 as a senior at Illinois State. He appeared in 52 games, all of which were starting assignments, and led the team with six home runs. Among his 55 hits were 18 extra-base hits, including 11 doubles. He tallied 27 RBIs and scored 21 runs.
As Illinois State's everyday catcher, Ramirez committed just one error and caught nine potential stealers during the 2016 season.
As a junior in 2015, Ramirez slashed .257/.313/.382 with four home runs, 22 RBIs and 18 runs scored in 39 games.
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