June 7, 2011

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV right-handed ace Tanner Peters was selected on the second day of the 2011 MLB Draft, taken by the Oakland Athletics' organization in the 16th round today.

Peters is UNLV's highest draft selection since Kevin Skogley was taken in the 12th round by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 2006 draft. He is the fifth Rebel player to be drafted by the A's since 1985, joining Zeke Parraz (2005), Ryan Ruiz (2004), Ryan Ludwick (1999) and Kevin Lofthus (1989).

The 2011 Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Year - UNLV's first in school history - was recently named a Louisville Slugger Third-Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, marking the 13th Rebel to earn All-America honors and first since Xavier Scruggs was a second-team selection in 2008.

Peters (9-4, 1.50 ERA) was spectacular this season for UNLV, ranking among the nation's elite in wins, earned run average, complete games, strikeouts and innings pitched. The junior righty put together a string of 14 straight quality starts in 2011, never giving up more than three earned runs in a single game all year.

"I am extremely excited for and proud of Tanner," said head coach Tim Chambers. "He was the guy we leaned on throughout the season and he went out there and proved that he can pitch at the next level. I thought he would have gone a little higher, but it is a tremendous occasion in a young man's life to be drafted and he is deserving of it."

The Simi Valley, Calif., native threw eight complete games this season, ranking second in the nation behind UCLA's Trevor Bauer (9). He broke the Mountain West Conference record for complete games in both a single season and career against San Diego State in the opening round of the MWC Tournament and is tied for complete-game shutouts in a career with former 2009 No. 1 overall MLB selection Stephen Strasburg.

Peters has won 21 games in three seasons with the Rebels and surpassed the 250 career strikeout mark earlier this year in an 11-strikeout performance against BYU, a complete-game effort in which he gave up just three hits and two runs - all in the third inning - guiding UNLV to a 7-2 win.