Nationals make Rice 3B Anthony Rendon sixth overall pick in draft

The Washington Nationals today selected Rice University third baseman Anthony Rendon with the sixth-overall pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Nationals Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Player Personnel Roy Clark and Nationals Director of Scouting Kris Kline made the joint announcement. Rendon hit .371 (253-for-682) with 46 doubles, 52 home runs, 194 RBI, 176 walks and 201 runs scored in 187 games spanning three seasons with Rice. Rendon posted a staggering on-base percentage of .505 during his collegiate career. The 21 year-old Rendon batted .327 and posted career highs with 20 doubles and an NCAA-leading 80 walks in 63 games this season. He is currently a semifinalist for both the Howser Trophy (National Collegiate Baseball Writers Associa­tion) and the Golden Spikes Award (USA Baseball). Last season, Rendon won the Howser Trophy as the nation's top amateur player after hitting .394 with a career-high 26 home runs and 85 RBI as a sophomore. Rendon's efforts in 2010 also garnered citations from the American Base­ball Coaches Association (Rawlings Sporting Goods National Player of the Year) and Baseball America (National Player of the Year). Rendon was a Howser and Golden Spikes semifinalist in '09, and was recognized as the top freshman in the nation by numerous organizations, upon hitting .388 with 20 homers and 72 RBI during his first season at Rice. The 6-foot, 190-lbs. Rendon is considered a plus defender at third base and was consistently rated by industry-insider Baseball America as the top position player in the 2011 Draft.