UTM's Karlen goes 'National

UTM Sports Information
UT Martin’s Trey Karlen is going “National.”
For the first time since 1998, a UT Martin Skyhawk player was drafted by a Major League Baseball Team last week.
Karlen, a senior on this year’s team which advanced to the Ohio Valley Conference Base-ball Tournament, was drafted Wednesday morning in the 33rd round by the Washington Nationals.
“We were sitting in a restaurant eating lunch and my wife was watching the draft on her phone,” Karlen said. “She says, ‘Babe, you just got drafted.’ I said, ‘what,’ and we both started screaming.
“All the people in the restaurant looked at us like we were crazy.”
Karlen, who started 31 games at third base and 23 in the outfield this past season, hit .297 on the year for the Skyhawks, while also leading the team in runs scored (55), doubles (19), home runs (nine), RBI (46) and stolen bases (21).
Karlen, a .326 career hitter at UT Martin, is the only player in program history to have 20 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases.
He hit 23 career homers and stole 51 bases for head coach Bubba Cates in 2010-11.
“I am excited for Trey,” Cates said. “He is an outstanding player. It’s everyone’s dream to play in the big leagues.
“I am more excited for Trey than I am for our program.”
Karlen is the second Skyhawk player in the past two years to make it to the professional baseball ranks.
Relief pitcher Wes Alsup was not drafted, but signed a contract after the 2010 season to play in the Atlanta Braves organization.
Karlen will report to the Gulf Coast League Nationals in Viera, Fla., later this month.
The Nationals will play at Space Coast Stadium, the training complex for the
Karlen is the first UT Martin player to get drafted by a Major League Baseball team since 1998 when Jody Fuller was drafted in the 42nd round by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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