2011 Draft: Matt Stites drafted by Padres

■ Matt Stites, RHP, was drafted by the San Diego Padres organization as the 533rd overall pick in the 17th round of the MLB Draft.

■ Matt Stites drafted by San Diego Padres (mutigers.com)

Mizzou junior righty Matt Stites was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 17th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Players Draft on Tuesday (June 7). He was the first current Tiger to be selected in this year's MLB Draft as he went 533rd overall.

Stites was a starter for the Tigers all season long and finished the season with a 3.72 ERA in 92.0 innings pitched. He started 15 games in 2011 and struck out 77 batters while compiling three wins on the year. The majority of his starts were as the Tigers' Saturday starter. He led the team in innings pitched (92.0), strikeouts (77), complete games (one) and was second on the team in wins (three) and ERA (3.72).

The Festus, Mo., native had a great stretch during league play that spanned four starts in which he showed big league potential. In four straight starts against Oklahoma State, Kansas, Baylor and Texas A&M, Stites went 2-1 with a 1.86 ERA. He struck out 30 batters in 29.0 innings in that span.