Sports

Matt Smoral Drafted 50th by Toronto

Solon's baseball standout is headed to the MLB

Matt Smoral will cross the border for his new job.

The 6-foot, 8-inch left-handed pitcher was selected 50th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in Compensation Round A of the 2012 MLB Draft.

"He's an athletic kid for 6'8"," MLB Network analyst John Hart said following the selection. "This is as good an upside left-hander as you're going to get, especially at this spot in the draft."

The network's group of analysts compared the graduate to Madison Bumgarner of the San Francisco Giants. They agreed that he would have been a mid-first-round selection if he didn't miss the 2012 season with a .

Smoral has committed to playing at the University of North Carolina. He can decide to play there before suiting up for Toronto if he wants.


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