** During the month of July EIUpanthers.com will take a look back at 11 moments, events or performances that helped shape the 2016-17 school year. **
Eastern Illinois baseball added another player to its long list of draft picks as senior right hander Michael McCormick was selected in this year's Major League Baseball Draft.
McCormick pitched two seasons with the Panthers and was a weekend starter both years. He was selected in the 34
th round by the Chicago White Sox.
McCormick became the first EIU player to be selected in the MLB Draft since 2014 when Matt Borens was taken in the 11th round by the New York Yankees. He was the first Panther drafted by the White Sox since Dave Diamond in 1972.
McCormick is currently pitching for the White Sox Rookie League team in the Arizona League having made four appearances out of the bullpen.
McCormick, from Speedway, Ind., is a 6-3 right handed pitcher that made 12 starts for the Panthers on the mound this past season. He posted 48 strike outs in 66.2 innings of work. He finished the year with a 1-6 record and a 7.43 earned run average. As a starter for the EIU club this past season he worked five or more innings on the mound in eight of his 12 starts. His lone win of the season came out of the bullpen.
In addition incoming EIU freshman infielder D.J. Stewart was selected in the 39th round by the Philadelphia Phillies. Stewart played at Westminster Christian Academy in Missouri.
