GLENS FALLS—As the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft came to a close mid-June, the Glens Falls Golden Eagles laid claim to a record-breaking 11 former and current Golden Eagles selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft, including five in the first 14 rounds.
As many as 41 past and present players from the 13 other teams in the New York College Summer League were also chosen in this years’ draft.

The Glens Falls Golden Eagles exceeded the record number of players drafted in 2008 as 11 total Glens Falls players were selected in this year’s draft.
In years’ past, the highest team draft pick for the Golden Eagles was round 15; however, 2009 became a huge milestone for Glens Falls baseball and the NYCBL.

With the MLB Draft being broadcast live from New York City on the MLB Network, fans and players alike were able to watch all the action unfold on the television sets

Three former players from the 2008 East Division Championship Glens Falls team and one from the record-breaking 2007 team were taken in the first 10 rounds of the 2009 MLB Draft.
Junior starting pitcher, Eric Arnett (Indiana) became highest Golden Eagles drafted in the teams’ six-year history when the Brewers selected him at pick No. 26.

The Brewers also drafted one of Arnett’s 2008 teammates, junior Chad Stang (Midland College), in the eighth round. Stang has also signed a letter of intent to play with the 2009 College World Series Champion LSU Tigers in 2010.

The Cleveland Indians selected first basemen Benjamin Carlson (Missouri State) in the sixth round. Carlson was a member of the 2008 Golden Eagles. Former 2006 and 2008 Golden Eagle Jonathan White (Vanderbilt), who was drafted by the Brewers back in 2007, became the newest member of the San Francisco Giants after being taken in the round 40.

Four players from the 2007 Glens Falls Golden Eagles; inlcuding pitchers Brian Moran (UNC), who was selected in the seventh round by the Seattle Mariners, and Alex Pepe (Florida Atlantic), who was chosen by the Toronoto Blue Jays in the 36th round. Pepe was also chosen by the Texas Rangers in last year’s MLB First-Year Player Draft, but decided to return for his senior season.

Other members of the 2007 Golden Eagles team who were selected in the 2009 MLB Draft include first baseman Riaan Spanjer-Furstenburgh (Nova Southeastern) and third baseman Kevin Mahoney (Canisius). Both Spanjer-Furstenburg and Mahoney were drafted by the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees respectively. Mahoney went in the 23rd round, while Spanjer-Furstenburg went in the 16th round.

Both the Braves and the Blue Jays also took two other Golden Eagles who were both supposed to play of the 2009 Glens Falls team, alongside two-time Golden Eagle Anthony Giansanti, who the Oakland Athletics drafted in the 49th round. First baseman/outfielder Lance Durham (Cincinnatti) and third baseman Jakob Dalfonso (Middle Georgia) were chosen by the Blue Jays and Braves respectively, with Durham falling to Toronto in round 14 and Dalfonso landing with Atlanta in round 16.

“We kept his feet planted firmly on the ground, by reminding him that for as fortunate as he was to have these God-given talents, there are a thousand guys better than him and another thousand better than them,” Kevin Mahoney’s mother Lisa said. “That was mom’s way of conveying stay humble, work hard, improve your skills, strive to be better at everything and good things will happen for you.”

For a league that’s been around for almost 30 years and a team that’s now been in the Glens Falls region for six years, having five players selected in the first 14 rounds, including four in the first eight, is a huge step toward success for the NYCBL and Glens Falls Golden Eagles baseball.

With 39 total players drafted in the major leagues in this years’ draft, the NYCBL proves once again why it’s well on its way to becoming one of te best summer wood-bat collegiate baseball leagues in the entire nation, especially with the Glens Falls Golden Eagles leading the way.