June 16, 2009

Baseball:

Former Viking standout Peale selected in 2009 MLB Draft

Former Long Beach City College standout pitcher/third baseman Tommy Peale was a 23rd round pick of the Florida Marlins in last week’s 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Peale, the 698th player selected, helped lead Long Beach to the 2006 state championship as he was named the Southern California pitcher of the year as well as player of the year.

The 2006 All-American compiled an amazing 16-0 overall record and had a 1.48 earned run average his sophomore season. He struck out 90 and walked just 18 in 127.2 innings.

At the plate, he was second on the squad with a .341 batting average. Peale totaled 60 hits, 26 runs, 8 doubles, 2 homeruns, and 29 RBI.

After LBCC, Peale played one season at the University of San Francisco in 2007 and went 3-2 with a 4.77 ERA. Peale left USF and sat out the 2008 season before playing out his eligibility this past spring at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho.

During his senior season at Lewis-Clark, Peale went 5-1 with a 4.18 ERA. He started all 12 games he pitched in, tossing 60.1 innings. Peale struck out 50 and walked only 16 as opponents had a .263 batting average against him.

Peale will likely report to the Marlins’ rookie league affiliate in Jupiter, Florida. Peale is the fourth Viking since 2002 to be drafted by a MLB team.

Pitcher Daniel Prieto, a former teammate of Peale on LBCC’s state championship squad, was also selected by the Marlins in 23rd round the 2007 MLB Draft.

Outfielder Eugene Edwards was a 40th round pick by the Seattle Mariners in 2005 and shortstop Omar Bramasco was taken in the 16th round by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2002. Bramasco currently plays for the Long Beach Armada of the independent Golden Baseball League.