Pitcher Brad Pautz was expected to be the first Gophers baseball player to go in this year’s amateur draft, but his name was crossed off the list of available high school and college ball players sooner than most predicted.
The right-hander was selected on Tuesday, the first day of the three-day draft, in the sixth round by the Minnesota Twins.
On the eve of the draft, Mike Radcliff, the Twins director of scouting, said the organization was considering Pautz as an addition to the bullpen.
The Reedsville, Wis., native attracted many scouts with the velocity on his fastball. In going 6-3 this season, Pautz struck out 42 while walking 21. His season-ending ERA was 3.63.
Pautz will meet with members of the organization today to discuss the terms of the deal. After that, the junior must decide whether he wants to return to Minnesota next year as a member of the Gophers.
“Just sitting back and waiting for them to come through,” Pautz said about whether he will play out his final year of college ball. “That’s about all you can do.”
— Sarah Mitchell
Lewis a Goodwill finalist
Gophers forward Quincy Lewis and former Minneapolis North guard Khalid El-Amin were among the 17 players named as finalists for the 1998 USA Basketball Goodwill Games Team.
The final 12-player roster will be finalized following the squad’s training camp at the University from July 6-12. Gophers men’s basketball coach Clem Haskins is at the helm of the team.
The Goodwill games will take place July 19-24 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Golf team to be honored
The Minnesota Valley Country Club in Bloomington will host a banquet Thursday to honor the Gophers men’s golf team and NCAA champion James McLean.
The event begins at 6 p.m. and will wrap up with a program at 8 p.m. Call Karen Knutson at 884-8552 for more information.
Hegener swims in France
Minnesota senior Gretchen Hegener took fourth in the 100-meter breaststroke and was a member of the third-place 4×50 medley relay team Sunday at the Tyr Swim Games in Mulhouse, France.
— Michael Rand