EIU All-Time Baseball Draft SelectionsÂ
Eastern Illinois pitcher
Hayden Birdsong was selected with the final pick of the sixth round by the San Francisco Giants in the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft on Monday (July 18).
Birdsong becomes the fifth player drafted out of EIU in the last four seasons and marks the third straight year the Panthers have produced a top ten round selection. Birdsong was the 196th overall player selected in the draft.
Birdsong, a Mattoon, Illinois native, was a first team All-Ohio Valley Conference selection this past season as a relief pitcher. During the regular season he led EIU in earned run average pitching in 45.2 innings. He would lead the conference with a 1.40 ERA in OVC action. Including the OVC Tournament Birdsong made 20 appearances on the season with a 5-4 record, one save, a 3.35 ERA and 66 strike outs.
Birdsong is pitching this summer in the Northwoods League with the Lakeshore Chinooks posting a 2-0 record with one save in six appearances.
He is the ninth former Panther to be drafted by the San Francisco Giants, the last was Kyle Haines in the 31st round of the 2004 MLB Draft.Â
