Blackhawk grad Michael Turconi selected by Toronto Blue Jays in 15th round
Jul. 19—Michael Turconi is among the latest Western Pennsylvania products to be selected in the 2022 MLB Draft.
The Blackhawk graduate and redshirt junior on the Wake Forest baseball team was drafted Tuesday afternoon by the Toronto Blue Jays with the No. 458 pick in the 15th round.
Turconi follows a long line of Wake Forest players to be drafted by a Major League team.
He is the second Demon Deacon selection of the 2022 draft.
"I couldn't be more happy for Turc," Wake Forest head coach Tom Walter said.
"He is the consummate professional and one of the best teammates I have ever coached. With his versatility and bat-to-ball skills, he will move quickly through the minor leagues."
North Allegheny's Cole Young started everything for Pittsburgh-area players as he was selected No. 21 overall by the Seattle Mariners in the first round Sunday.
Cameron Weston, a Canon-McMillan graduate and Michigan standout then went to Baltimore with the 227th pick in the eighth round Monday.
The 10th round saw St. Louis nab Allderdice grad and Queens University pitcher Tanner Jacobson, also on Monday. He was the 307th selection.
Also Tuesday, Shaler senior shortstop Bryan Rincon was picked in the 14th round by the Philadelphia Phillies with the No. 422 overall pick.
Turconi was a team captain for the 2022 Wake Forest team. He posted a career season as the shortstop where he was the only Demon Deacon payer to start every game during the team's 41-win season.
He totaled career bests for batting average (.314), hits (76), home runs (15), walks (42), triples (five), RBIs (68), slugging percentage (.587), on-base percentage (.419) and stolen bases (five).
His five triples, 67 runs, 20 multi-RBI games led the the team, while posting the second-most multi-hit games (24) and ranking in the top five in RBIs (third), home runs (third), bases (third), at-bats (third), hits (third), sacrifice flies (third), walks (fourth) and on-base percentage (fifth).
Turconi recorded a career-high four hits, a career-high tying two doubles and a career-high tying six RBIs at Boston College.
Turconi was named the 2018 Trib HSSN Baseball Player of the Year after he batted .571 with a .691 on-base percentage for the Cougars, who finished 16-2 in WPIAL Class 4A. He had 24 RBIs, but also went 5-1 with two saves and an 0.71 ERA on the mound. He struck out 70 in 39 1/3 innings.
Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Michael at 724-226-4665, mlove@triblive.com or via Twitter .
