Atlanta, Ga.----For the first time since 2005, the Wingate University Bulldogs have had multiple players selected in the Major League Baseball draft, with redshirt junior left-hander Mitch Farris being selected in the 14th round by the Atlanta Braves Tuesday afternoon. He was the 429th overall pick of the 2023 MLB draft. Farris joins redshirt sophomore right-hander Corey Avant, who was taken in the ninth round of the draft by the Oakland Athletics Monday afternoon. The last time Wingate had multiple players taken in the same draft was in 2005, when Eric Brown went to the New York Mets in the 18th round and Matt Trent was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 30th round. 

"It's good to see hard work pay off and dreams come true," Farris says. "Go Braves!" 

"I'm extremely proud of Mitch," head coach Jeff Gregory says. "This has been a goal of his since he arrived at Wingate and to see it happen for him, I couldn't be happier. He has been a huge piece of our success since he has joined our program and I look forward to following his professional career."

Farris is the eighth Bulldog to be drafted since the 2012 season and gives Wingate four draft picks over the last three seasons. Avant's ninth round selection Monday was the highest in Wingate's NCAA D2 history, topping the 10th-round selection of Brody McCullough in the 2022 draft by the Chicago Cubs. Hunter Dula went in the 18th round of the 2021 draft to the San Francisco Giants. In addition, Tommy McCollum signed a free agent contract with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2021.

Farris is the 25th player in Wingate history to be drafted. In Wingate's recent history, All-American outfielder Dodson McPherson went in the 30th round of the 2012 draft, while All-American Thomas Spitz was taken by the Cardinals in the 32nd round in 2015. Two-time All-American Shane Billings went in the 13th round of the 2016 draft, which was previously the highest draft pick from Wingate as an NCAA Division II school prior to McCullough in 2022 and Avant this year.

Left-handed pitcher Kory Behenna was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 25th round of the 2017 draft. Prior to Wingate's Division II days, Jim Fortenberry went in the fifth round of the 1984 draft. Ron Grout went in the sixth round of the 1977 winter draft, when Wingate was a junior college. Richard Motsinger was a first-round pick in the 1969 winter draft.

Farris had a huge season in 2023, piling up the honors while ranking among the nation's best in nearly every category. The left-hander went 11-1 on the season with a 1.21 ERA, striking out 127 batters while walking just 16 in 89 innings of work. Farris posted a 0.62 WHIP while holding opponents to a .128 average, giving up just 39 hits in his 89 innings of work. Farris was named the SAC Pitcher of the Year, while also taking home Region Pitcher of the Year accolades from the ABCA, NCBWA and D2CCA. Farris was a consensus first team All-American, earning the honors from the ABCA, NCBWA and D2CCA. He was named the SAC Pitcher of the Week seven times in 2023, adding four Region Pitcher of the Week awards and a pair of National Pitcher of the Week selections. He was the lone Division II player named to the Golden Spikes Watch List in 2023. 

Farris led the nation in WHIP and hits allowed per nine innings, ranking second in ERA and strikeouts, third in strikeout-to-walk ratio and eight in wins. He went at least five innings in all 12 starts, going at least seven innings in each of his final nine starts, including three complete games. Farris did not allow a run in five of those starts, allowing one run in four starts and two runs in one start, while allowing three runs just one time and never allowing more. Only one of his 12 starts saw opponents collect more than four hits, holding opponents to two hits or less on six occasions including five two-hit performances. Farris struck out at least nine in all 12 starts, hitting double figures eight times, which included an 18-strikeout effort in eight innings against LMU and a 13-strikeout performance at #7 Lenoir-Rhyne, when he went the distance allowing a run on just three hits.  In his 15 starts over the last two seasons, Farris went 13-0 with a 0.98 ERA, striking out 149 while walking just 17 in 110 innings of work, giving up just 12 runs on 47 hits.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a laboratory of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina. Wingate offers 38 undergraduate majors as well as seven master's and four doctoral degrees. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences; the Levine College of Health Sciences; the Byrum School of Business; the Thayer School of Education; and the School of Sport Sciences. 
 
Wingate is a leader in healthcare education, and nearly one in five Wingate undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 25 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 15 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.
 
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