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Whitworth pitcher Hugh Smith drafted in sixth round of 2018 MLB Draft

Whitworth junior pitcher Hugh Smith was Division III Northwest Conference pitcher of the year in 2018. He was selected in the sixth round of the Major League Baseball draft on Tuesday, June 5, 2018. (Whitworth Athletics / Courtesy)
Whitworth junior pitcher Hugh Smith was Division III Northwest Conference pitcher of the year in 2018. He was selected in the sixth round of the Major League Baseball draft on Tuesday, June 5, 2018. (Whitworth Athletics / Courtesy)
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

Hugh Smith saw his draft stock rise exponentially over the past few months during his junior season at Whitworth. On Tuesday, those expectations came to fruition.

Smith was selected by the Detroit Tigers with the first pick in the sixth round, No. 165 overall, in the 2018 MLB Draft in Secaucus, New Jersey.

The 6-foot-10, 215-pound right-hander went 6-1 with a 1.58 ERA and 67 strikeouts over 62 2/3 innings this season for the Pirates.

Smith, 21, boasts a 96-mph two-seam fastball and put up stellar numbers in the Division III Northwest Conference this past season, earning the conference’s pitcher of the year award.

Bies to Yankees: Gonzaga’s Daniel Bies was selected by the New York Yankees in the seventh round with the 217th overall pick.

Bies, a 6-foot-8 redshirt junior right-handed pitcher, went 7-4 with a 2.49 ERA and 124 strikeouts over 112 innings in 16 games – all starts – for the Zags this season. He was named first-team All-West Coast Conference this season and won the conference pitcher of the week twice.

Bies was cut his freshman year at Gonzaga and grayshirted, where he couldn’t work out with the team and facilities were off-limits. A year away from baseball allowed him to rededicate himself to his craft.

Rasmussen to Brewers: Oregon State pitcher Drew Rasmussen was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers later in the sixth round with the 185th overall pick.

Rasmussen (Mt. Spokane) was drafted in the first round last season by Tampa Bay but failed to sign with the club. He was set to return to the Beavers this season but required a second Tommy John surgery and missed the entire season.

In 2017, Rasmussen made eight appearances, with four starts, and went 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA in 27 innings. He earned two saves and held opponents to a .192 average.

Rasmussen previously underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2016.

Other regional notables drafted: RHP Jayson Schroeder (Juanita HS), second round, 93rd overall by Houston; SS AJ Graffanino (Washington), eighth round, 232 overall by Atlanta; LHP Tarik Skubal (Seattle U), ninth round, 255 overall by Detroit; C Willie MacIver (Washington), ninth round, 276 overall by Colorado.

The MLB Draft will resume on Wednesday at 9 a.m.