BOUCHARD

Eight local players were selected yesterday during the second day of the Major League Baseball draft.

Brown catcher Devin Thomas, the Ivy League Player of the Year who this season led the Bears to their first NCAA Tournament appearance, was picked by the Detroit Tigers in the seventh round (241st overall). Thomas is the highest Brown draftee since Bill Almon was taken first overall by the San Diego Padres in 1974.

Thomas led or tied for the Ivy League lead in hits (70), runs (51), RBI (64), home runs (16) and total bases (137). Thomas set Brown single-season records in runs, RBI and home runs and finished his career with the Bears ranked in the top 10 in 10 of the 13 all-time hitting categories that have been kept.

Matt Bouchard was the first of four former or current Hendricken players selected yesterday. Bouchard, a junior shortstop at Georgetown, was chosen in the 11th round (363rd overall) by the New York Mets.

“I had been talking to a bunch of teams, primarily the Mets, and while I was watching the draft on my computer, my name popped up,” Bouchard said. “As soon as I saw it come up on the screen, I received a phone call from someone in the Mets organization, so I’m excited.”

An All-Stater at Hendricken, Bouchard played every game this season for the Hoyas and led the team with 41 RBI. He is the eighth Hoya to be drafted and the first since 1993.

“I’m definitely excited to finally be getting rewarded for all the hard work and dedication,” Bouchard said. “I’m glad the Mets took me because I think it’s a good pick and I’m ready to prove myself and try my hardest to make the majors.”

Another former Hendricken standout, catcher Craig Stinson, who plays for Texas A&M, was taken in the 12th round by the Washington Nationals (370th overall).

Stinson, one of the heroes on the 1996 Cranston Western Little League team that advanced to the championship game of the Little League World Series, is batting .344 this season with 12 homers and 50 RBI. Stinson and Texas A&M are currently playing in the NCAA Super Regionals.

The Oakland Athletics picked former East Providence All-State pitcher and 2004 R.I. Gatorade Player of the Year Brad Hertzler in the 15th round, the 480th overall selection.

Hertzler was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 32nd round of the 2004 draft but elected to go to college. He played at CCRI for two years before going to the University of Maine.

Cumberland resident and Northeastern catcher Dan Milano was a 20th-round selection of the Red Sox (624 overall).

Milano, an All-Stater at Cumberland High, batted .337 this year with a team-best 13 home runs and 48 RBI. Milano set a Northeastern record this season by hitting in 19 straight games. He also led the team in slugging percentage and was tied for the team lead with 39 runs scored. His 31 career home runs ranks him third all-time in school history.

Warwick resident Terry Doyle, who played high school baseball in New Hampshire and pitched for Boston College this season, was chosen in the 21st round by the Los Angeles Dodgers (656 overall).

Two Hendricken players rounded out the eight local selections as John Mollicone, a senior at Fordham, was chosen by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 27th round (815 overall) and current Hawk, pitcher Gary Gillheeney, was a 29th-round pick of the Atlanta Braves (888th overall).

Mollicone, an All-State catcher while at Hendricken, hit .325 with 14 doubles, 9 homers and 53 RBI this season for Fordham.

cbourass@projo.com