June 8, 2007

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest senior Josh Ellis and sophomore Garrett Bullock were both selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks on the second day of the 2007 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Friday.

Ellis, a righthanded relief pitcher, was taken in the 11th round, while Bullock, a lefthanded starting pitcher, was selected in the 45th round.

Demon Deacon signees David Mailman and Mark Adzick were also selected on the second day of the draft. Mailman was taken by the Boston Red Sox in the seventh round, while Adzick was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 18th round.

Including junior lefty Eric Niesen, who was selected on Thursday in the third round by the New York Mets, Wake Forest had five players taken in the 2007 draft, its most since eight Deacons (including signees) went in 2003.

This marks the first time since 1996 that two Deacon pitchers have been drafted out of college in the first 11 rounds. In 1996, Mark Seaver was taken in the fourth round by the Baltimore Orioles and Sean DePaula was drafted in the ninth round by the Cleveland Indians.

Wake Forest has not had three pitchers (including signees) selected in the first 18 rounds since 2000. Danny Borrell (second round by the New York Yankees) and signees Chris Narveson (second round by the St. Louis Cardinals) and Kyle Sleeth (18th round by the Orioles) were the Deacon trio of draftees in 2000.

In addition, the Deacs have not had three pitchers drafted out of college since 1996 when Seaver, DePaula and Michael Holmes (23rd round by the Chicago White Sox) were selected off the Wake pitching staff.

Ellis, who recorded nine saves as Wake's closer in 2007, was the 10th selection in the 11th round and the 343rd player taken overall. He and Bullock are the third and fourth Deacons to be drafted into the Diamondbacks organization and the first since Jamie D'Antona (second round) in 2003.

Ellis took over the Deacons' closer role in early March and went on to record nine saves in 12 chances. The righthander went 5-4 with a 3.20 ERA. He made a team-high 34 relief appearances this season, ranking fourth on Wake Forest's single-season list. Ellis was named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year midseason watch list in late April.

Ellis struck out 72 batters and walked just 18 in 50 2/3 innings pitched. He had a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.0 and averaged 12.79 strikeouts per nine innings. Opponents hit .230 against Ellis and had 10 extra-base hits, including just two home runs.

Coming into the season, Ellis had never recorded a save in his collegiate career. He notched his first one on March 9 against nationally-ranked Virginia. Ellis began the season with a 16 1/3 scoreless innings streak, spanning 12 appearances.

For his career, Ellis finished 16-14 with a 5.95 ERA and 201 strikeouts. He appeared in 98 games with 20 starts. Ellis ranks second on Wake Forest's all-time list for career appearances.

Bullock, a draft-eligible sophomore, was the ninth pick in the 45th round and the 1,330th player taken overall. The Greenville, N.C., native worked his way into the Friday starter role this season. He began the year as the Deacons' Sunday starter but finished as Wake Forest's No. 1 starter in the postseason.

Bullock went 4-3 with a 5.12 ERA in 19 appearances, including 15 starts. He led the team with 96 2/3 innings pitched and ranked among the top five in the ACC in innings pitched in conference games. Bullock also developed one of the top pickoff moves in the country and used it to record an ACC-leading 13 pickoffs.

Bullock turned in a performance for the ages when he threw 10 innings on April 21 at Boston College. Despite getting a no-decision in Wake Forest's 17-inning loss, he became the first Deacon pitcher to go 10 innings since John Hendricks in 1999.

Mailman, a lefthanded-hitting first baseman and outfielder, was the 20th pick of the seventh round and the 234th player taken overall. The Charlotte, N.C., native was the fourth high school first baseman selected and the 10th overall.

Mailman is the fifth Deacon to be drafted into the Red Sox organization since 1989. Three of the previous four taken by Boston did not sign, including sophomore first baseman Allan Dykstra in 2005. Mailman is the highest Deacon recruit to be drafted since RHP Ryan Webb (fourth round by the Oakland A's) in 2004 and the highest position player recruit to be selected since Chase Voshell (fourth round by the Diamondbacks) in 1997.

Adzick, a lefthanded pitcher, was the 19th selection in the 18th round and the 563rd player taken overall. The Haverford, Pa., native is the first Wake pitching recruit to be drafted since Webb in 2004. Adzick is the first Deacon to be selected by the Phillies in the last 19 drafts. The last Deacon pitching recruit to be drafted and not sign was Lee Land (13th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates) in 2003.