2019 Draft - Mets Pick 20.598 - C Matt O'Neill - Penn

With the 598^th pick (20^th round) in the 2019 draft, the New York Mets picked senior catcher, Matt O’Neill, from Penn.

2019 stats:  40-G, 158-AB, .405/.527/.620, 5-HR, 40-RBI, 40-BB

6-0   215

pennathletics - 2019: Unanimous First-Team All-Ivy Selection (C) ... Started 40 of Penn’s 41 games, with 31 starts behind the dish and 9 starts as the designated hitter … Led the Ivy League with a .405 batting average (64-of-158) … Fifth in the nation with a .527 on-base percentage … Tied for second in the Ivy League and on Penn with 64 hits … Set the program record for walks in a season after reaching base on balls 40 times … Fifth in the Ivy League with 40 RBI … Tied for third on the team with 41 runs scored … Fourth in the Ivy League with 15 doubles … Led the Ivy League catchers with 13 baserunners caught stealing … Third on the team with 18 multi-hit games … Second on the team with a .620 slugging percentage … Tied for first on the team with 12 multi-RBI games … Caught all 21 frames in Penn’s series opener against Dartmouth (April 6).

www.inquirer.com - Senior catcher Matt O’Neill is excited to continue to play baseball and is more than happy to put off entering the business world after recently earning his degree in finance.

O’Neill was selected by the New York Mets in the 20th round of the MLB first-year player draft on Wednesday. He wasn’t concerned about where he would be drafted, just that he would get his shot.

The 6-foot, 215-pound O’Neill enjoyed an impressive career that began with him being named Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2016 and ended as a unanimous first-team all-Ivy selection this past season.

As a senior, he led the Ivy League with a .405 batting average. He was fifth in the nation with a .527 on-base percentage, which was boosted by setting a single-season school record with 40 walks. He also led the Ivy League with 13 base runners caught stealing.