August 3, 2009
IOWA CITY – – University of Iowa senior-to-be Kyle Heim and graduating senior Mike Schurz were selected in the 44th round of the Major League Baseball’s 2009 First-Year Player Draft. Heim was chosen by the St. Louis Cardinals with the 1,329th pick. Schurz was selected with two picks later (1,331st pick) by the Houston Astros. Both Heim (lefty) and Schurz (righty) are relief pitchers.
Schurz, a native of Poquoson, VA, transferred from Radford University to become Iowa’s closer. After undergoing Tommy John Surgery in 2007 and redshirting in 2008, Schurz came back strong as Iowa’s ninth inning go-to-guy. He posted a 4.15 ERA with three saves and one win in 21 appearances this year and amassed 33 strikeouts in 28 innings of work. In 2007, as the closer, he had six wins and nine saves in 24 appearances.
Since being drafted last month, Schurz has really been impressive and has been called up to Tri-City of the New York Penn League.
Heim, a native of St. Joseph, MO, competed in 13 games last season and was mainly utilized as a situational pitcher. He recorded eight and two-third innings of relief, compiling an 8.31 ERA. Heim had two appearances in Big Ten play, boasting a perfect 0.0 ERA in one and two-third innings of relief. He did not allow a home run all season. In 2008, he appeared in 26 games, collecting 18 strikeouts in 37.1 innings of relief.
Under Dahm, 17 Hawkeyes have been drafted. Eleven players have been drafted in the past three years, including Steve Turnbull (17th round), Matt Dermody (26th round) and Dan Sheppard (30th round).