CPP pitcher excited about pro future

Cal Poly Pomona junior RHP Brad Wilson was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in Round 33 of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft on Thursday.                 Wilson, a Garden Grove native, appeared in a season-high 19 games in his only season with the Broncos. He owned a 3-6 record with a 4.99 ERA and made six starts and shared the lead in saves with four. He threw 52 1/3 innings and allowed 59 hits and posted 41 strikeouts and 29 walks.

"We are very happy that Bradley will have the opportunity to live out his dream of being a professional baseball player,'' said Broncos head coach Mike Ashman. "When he came to us, we saw that he had the potential of playing at the next level.''

Wilson was the 996^th player taken in the draft that concludes today.

                "We'd been talking for a while and I figured the chances of Arizona selecting me were pretty strong,'' Wilson said. "I had trouble sleeping last night and they woke me up when they called this morning. I'm real excited and I can't wait. To become a professional ballplayer is every kid's dream.''

A junior college transfer from Santa Ana Junior College, Wilson went 5-0 with 3.08 ERA as a sophomore.

                Wilson will become the second member of his family to play professional baseball. His father Dave played in the San Francisco Giants' system in the late 70s.

                Wilson is the first Bronco to have been selected in the MLB draft since C Anthony Esquer was selected in Round 24 by the Cincinnati Reds in 2006.