Yanks take Smith with 42nd pick

Barry Faulkner

UC Irvine junior pitcher Brett Smith, who spent his collegiate career

helping the Anteaters establish themselves on the national baseball

landscape, was chosen the first pick of the second round, 42nd

overall, by the New York Yankees in Monday’s first-year player draft.

No UCI player has been selected higher.

A 6-foot-5 right-hander drafted in the 21st round by the Arizona

Diamondbacks out of Sonora High in La Habra, Smith opened eyes when

he elected to join a UCI program coming off a 10-year hiatus.

But, he said, he was won over by UCI Coach John Savage, a renowned

pitching coach who, while at USC, helped develop current major

leaguers Mark Prior and Barry Zito.

Savage has now tutored 16 pitchers drafted in the first 10 rounds.

Smith began his senior season by winning his first six decisions,

including victories over nationally-ranked Arizona, Baylor, Minnesota

and Long Beach State.

He went 8 2/3 innings, allowing six hits, walking two and fanning

10 in a 4-0 shutout at Minnesota March 18.

In his next start, he went 7 1/3 scoreless innings, yielding just

three hits and striking out seven, in a 1-0 shutout of Long Beach

State.

In his next start, he threw a complete-game, five-hit shutout to

defeat Big West Conference visitor UC Santa Barbara. It was his

second complete-game shutout of his career, a feat accomplished by no

other UCI hurler.

His first two 2004 losses came in a 3-1 setback to Long Beach

State and ace Jared Weaver (selected 12th overall by the Angels

Monday), and a 2-1 loss to the University of the Pacific.

He was tagged with a loss in a 3-0 defeat by Cal State Fullerton

and Titans ace Jason Windsor, and got no decision when the bullpen

blew a three-run lead in the ninth at Cal State Northridge.

He finished the season 8-5 with a 2.54 ERA and was named

first-team All-Big West Conference. His 113 strikeouts in 113 1/3

innings were second most in school single-season annals. He allowed

just 102 hits and walked only 29 this spring.

He also led the Anteaters, ranked nationally for 10 weeks during

the season, to the school’s first appearance in the NCAA Division I

regionals. They lost their first two games and were eliminated to

finish 34-23-1.

For his career, Smith was 21-11 with a 3.72 ERA, 270 strikeouts,

113 walks and 301 hits allowed in 300 innings.

He ranks second at UCI in career strikeouts (behind Gary

Wheelock’s 287 from 1972-74), sixth in career innings and is tied for

sixth with 21 victories. He was Big West Conference Pitcher of the

Week four times.

“It’s really exciting and I’m looking forward to going out and

playing pro ball,” Smith said in a press release. “It’s a combination

of all the hard work we put in here at UCI and it’s a credit to the

coaches. I came in as a raw player and they taught me how to play the

game and to become a player I hope the university can be proud of.”

Savage, who has regularly praised Smith’s competitive nature on

the mound, believes he can be a productive pro.

“The entire program is very happy for Brett and we are excited

about his future with the New York Yankees, Savage said. “Brett is a

great example of a young guy who was drafted out of high school and

chose to come to UCI, and really developed on and off the field. He

is certainly a guy who is ready to go into professional baseball.”