Seven America East standout baseball players were selected in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft. Northeastern's Justin Hedrick and Jordan Thomson, Maine's Simon Williams and Mike MacDonald, Hartford's Scott Roy, Albany's Adam Kroft and Vermont's Derek Miller were chosen.
The first conference player to be picked was Hedrick, a right-handed pitcher, who was taken in the sixth round (190th overall) by the San Francisco Giants. Hedrick just completed his senior season for the Huskies with a 3.42 earned run average, while posting a 5-4 record. In 2003, he was instrumental in NU's run to the America East Championship as he was named to the All-Tournament Team after throwing a complete-game, three-hitter against top-ranked Vermont, striking out 15 batters along the way. Hedrick later went on to pitch for the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod League last summer and was impressive with a 1.93 ERA and a 3-2 mark.
Maine's center fielder Williams was next selected in the 11th round (330th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals. Williams, a two-time America East First Team All-Conference selection, is known predominantly for his speed. This season, he stole a career-high 26 bases and finished his career with 65, four steals shy of the all-time Maine record. He led America East in steals this season and ranked 36th in the nation.
MacDonald, a right-handed pitcher, was drafted in the 15th round (447th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays. The 2002 America East Pitcher of the Year, MacDonald broke the Maine career strikeout record and finished his career with 284 K’s. MacDonald was named to the America East Second Team this season and also earned America East All-Tournament honors.
Thomson, the 2004 America East Pitcher of the Year, went in the 17th round (520th overall) and was also chosen by the Giants. Northeastern's right-handed ace tallied a 2.13 ERA this past season with an 8-4 mark, while allowing opponents to hit just .214 off of him. The most successful pitcher in school history, Thomson holds the NU career records for wins (24), strikeouts (241), shutouts (4), appearances (49), games started (43), innings (282-2/3), and batters faced (1230).
Roy, also nabbed by the Blue Jays, was picked in the 21st round (627th overall). He led America East in innings per game (6.86) and finished fifth in ERA (3.17), sixth in strikeouts (77), and eighth in opposing batting average (.249). His 77 strikeouts broke Hartford's single season record and the right-hander ranks third all-time in program history (173).
Kroft was taken in the 30th round (882nd overall) by the San Diego Padres. Another right-handed pitcher, Kroft had an 8-3 record in 2004 with a 4.08 ERA. He had an impressive performance in this year's America East Championship as he threw a four-hitter allowing just one run in an 8-1 victory.
Miller was chosen in the 47th round (1390 overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers. Miller, a left-handed pitcher, missed the 2004 season with an elbow injury. He was 4-4 with a 3.77 ERA in 2003 when he struck out 61 and walked 18 in 59.1 innings.
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