June 10, 2009
IOWA CITY – – University of Iowa senior Steve Turnbull and incoming recruits Matthew Dermody and Dan Sheppard were selected in Major League Baseball’s 2009 First-Year Player Draft Wednesday. Turnbull was chosen by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 17th round (520th pick). Dermody was selected in the 26th round (775th pick) by the Pittsburgh Pirates, while Sheppard was picked by the Chicago Cubs in the 30th round (920th pick).
“We’re very excited for Steve,” said Iowa Head Coach Jack Dahm. “He has great potential. We feel that his best days are ahead. He got better-and-better for us as the season went on last year.”
Turnbull (White Bear Lake, MN) was a key component of the Hawkeye bullpen the past two years. The right-handed fire baller, who stands 6-3, had the highest velocity on the Hawkeye pitching staff last season. This past year, Turnbull posted a 5.34 ERA in 19 appearances with 39 strikeouts in 28.2 innings pitched. In 2007, he served as Iowa’s Friday starter with 13 starts and team-best 44 strikeouts. In his four years, Steve amassed 136 strikeouts.
“We’ve been excited about Matthew and Dan ever since they committed to us last summer,” commented Dahm. “They will definitely help our program and make a big impact if they decide not sign the pro contract.”
Dermody, a Norwalk, IA, native attends Norwalk High School. In 2008, Dermody, who is a left-handed pitcher, finished with a 7-3 record, 0.78 ERA and recorded 135 strikeouts with only 15 walks in 63 innings pitched a year ago. He was named first team all-conference and all-state. Dermody is the third-ranked pitcher in Iowa and 486th-ranked player in the country by Perfect Game Crosschecker.
Sheppard a Downers Grove, IL, native attends Downers Grove North High School. He is an athletic catcher who can also play outfield. He won the Kernels Classic home run derby in Cedar Rapids last season. Sheppard is the top-ranked catcher in the state of Illinois by Perfect Game Cross Checker and Prep Baseball Report. He is also the sixth-ranked player in the state of Illinois by Prep Baseball Report and the 417th-ranked player in the country by PG Crosschecker. As a junior, Sheppard hit .406 in conference play and led the team in: games played, at bats (119), runs scored (41), triples, stolen bases and home runs (8). He was the recipient for the Good Citizen Award at his high school and was an all-conference and all-academic honoree. Sheppard played in the Area Code Games for the Chicago White Sox and also played in the Kaiser Game, which is selected by the Illinois coaches for the best players in the state of Illinois.
Under Dahm, 15 Hawkeyes have been drafted. Nine players have been drafted in the past three years.
The first 30 rounds were completed today, with the final 20 rounds taking place tomorrow. Follow the draft live at www.mlb.com.