Razorbacks’ Koch tabbed by Pittsburgh in MLB draft

FAYETTEVILLE — Junior catcher Grant Koch was the third Razorback taken in the 2018 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, selected in the fifth round, 144th overall, by Pittsburgh on Tuesday afternoon.

Koch becomes the 18th Arkansas catcher to be drafted and the first since James McCann was taken in the second round by the Detroit Tigers in 2011.

With Koch’s selection, the Razorbacks have had three or more players drafted in the first five rounds of the MLB Draft for the fourth time in program history, joining the years of 2007, 2010 and 2013.

The Fayetteville, Arkansas native was stellar behind the plate in 2018, recording 433 putouts with a .998 fielding percentage, with just one error on the year, while starting 53 games for the Hogs.

Koch was errorless in league play this season, earning a nod on the Southeastern Conference’s All-Defensive Team.

Offensively, Koch is currently batting .250 with 34 RBIs and 32 runs scored and is second on the team with 34 walks on the year.

He has posted seven home runs on the season, including five in conference play, with just 34 strikeouts, good for the third-lowest in the Razorbacks’ starting nine.

Day two of the draft continues today on MLB.com. Rounds 3-10 will be conducted today. Wednesday will be the final day of the draft and will include rounds 11-40 starting at 11 a.m. All selections can be followed on MLB.com.

Koch and the Razorbacks will resume action this weekend at the NCAA Fayetteville Super Regional against league foe South Carolina.

Game one is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.