Elliot Soto Drafted By Chicago Cubs in 15th Round Of MLB Draft
6/8/2010 4:00:00 PM | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. - Elliot Soto became the 10th player under Ed Servais to be picked in the Major League Draft, as the shortstop was taken by the Chicago Cubs in the 15th round with the 460th overall pick, Tuesday afternoon. The draft, which started on Monday, will wrap up on Wednesday.
Soto came to Creighton in the fall of 2007 after being taken in the 13th round of the 2007 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins. He made his debut in the spring, playing in 50 of the team's 58 games, the most of any CU freshmen. He finished the season with a .272 average with eight stolen bases and 18 RBI with a .941 fielding percentage.
In the summer of 2008, Soto played for the Springfield Sliders of the Central Illinois Collegiate League (now the Prospect League), earning a spot on the league's all-star team.
Soto's sophomore year was just as good, as he was named to the MVC All-Conference First Team and MVC All-Tournament Team. He started all 52 games, leading squad in hits (77), sac bunts (11) and stolen bases (13). On the Valley end, he finished second in double plays with 52 and was second in assists with 197, putting up a .968 fielding percentage in helping the Jays to an NCAA-best .984 fielding mark.
After a summer in the CICL, Soto spent his 2009 summer in the prestigious Cape Cod league, playing for the Hyannis Mets. Soto played in 38 games, recording 24 hits and stealing six bases while seeing a majority of his time at short.
The junior was named to the Preseason all-MVC Team and was also named the Best Defensive Infielder by collegebaseballinsider.com. He lived up to that billing, as he wrapped up his season with a career-best .975 fielding percentage, en route to a second team all-MVC pick. Soto also led the team in assists with 166.
Soto is a native of Algonquin, Ill. and a graduate of Dundee Crown High School, where he was named Northwest Herald Player of the Year and led the Chargers to the state quarterfinals in his senior season.
The Chicago Cubs currently employ former Creighton head coach Jim Hendry as their general manager. Hendry led the Bluejays to their only College World Series appearance in 1991, and posted an all-time mark of 289-180-2 in seven seasons.
Led by seventh-year head coach Servais, the Bluejays finished the 2010 season with a 27-25 record.
| Draft
Picks Under Ed Servais |
|||||
| Year
|
Name |
Position |
Round |
Pick
|
Team |
| 2010 | Elliot Soto | SS | 15 | 460 | Chicago (NL) |
|
2009 |
Darin Ruf |
1B |
20 |
617 |
Philadelphia |
| 2008 |
Pat Venditte |
RHP/LHP |
20 |
620 |
New York (AL) |
| 2007 |
Marc Lewis |
LHP |
20 |
616 |
Florida |
| 2007 |
Chris Gradoville |
C |
24 |
740 |
Texas |
| 2007 |
Pat Venditte |
RHP/LHP |
45 |
1345 |
New York (AL) |
| 2006 |
Zach Daeges |
OF/3B |
6 |
193 |
Boston |
| 2006 |
Marc Lewis |
LHP
|
26 |
782 |
Milwaukee |
| 2006 |
Adam Schaecher |
RHP |
31 |
928 |
Texas |
| 2006 |
Chase Odenreider |
OF |
49 |
1472 |
New York (AL) |
| 2005 |
Eric Wordekemper |
RHP |
46 |
1391 |
New York (AL) |
