June 7, 2006

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - Former St. Bonaventure pitcher John Zinnicker was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, the second day of Major League Baseball's annual first-year player draft.

Zinnicker, a 6-foot-2, 185-lb. lefthander from Painesville, Ohio, was taken in the 35th round. He was the 1,050th player chosen overall.

Zinnicker enjoyed a breakout season this past spring as a senior, earning second team All-Conference honors from the Atlantic 10. He went 8-2 with a 2.44 ERA and won his final seven decisions of the year. Zinnicker's eight wins are the second best total in school history. He compiled 59 strikeouts against only 24 walks in 85 innings of work, and opponents hit just .263 against Zinnicker, including a .183 mark by lefthanders.

Zinnicker, a co-captain, helped lead the Bonnies to second place in the Atlantic 10 Conference with an 18-8 mark, a school record for A-10 victories.

"I am really happy that JZ is getting an opportunity," said Bonnies coach Larry Sudbrook. "He was a major reason our team did so well in the regular season and went deep into the A-10 Tournament. He got the chance to fill the No. 1 spot for us and did a super job. I am sure the Blue Jays' interest was in the fact that he throws strikes and the fact that left-handers only hit .183 against him. He can get left-handers out, and those kinds of pitchers are always valuable."

In the moments immediately after he was drafted, Zinnicker talked about the opportunity now before him.

"I didn't want to think about (the draft) too much ... I was just keeping my fingers crossed. It's always been my dream to play pro ball and now I'm living it," he said.

His selection by the Blue Jays capped an improbable rise for the hard-throwing southpaw. Entering his senior season at St. Bonaventure, Zinnicker had compiled only five career wins. He would likely have been the Bonnies' closer in 2006, but injuries to starting pitchers Mike Proctor and Brian Pellegrini made it necessary for Sudbrook to turn to Zinnicker.

"I'm sure (his move into the No. 1 starter's spot) was a big part of this," Zinnicker said. "I got an opportunity, threw strikes and good things happened."

Zinnicker is the first St. Bonaventure player drafted since Aaron Bouie in 2000 and the ninth player drafted in Sudbrook's 21 seasons at St. Bonaventure.