OSU release – FORT WORTH, Texas – Oregon State right-handed pitcher Jacob Kmatz has been selected in the fifth round, 157th overall, by the Tampa Bay Rays Monday in the MLB First-Year Player Draft. Kmatz is a 2024 All-American by the NCBWA and All-Pac-12 First-Teamer after going 7-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 88 innings. The Albuquerque, N.M., native led the Beavers with 96 strikeouts and was named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week three times. He’s pitched in 46 games in his Beaver career, starting 45, and is 20-9 with a 4.05 ERA. He’s struck out 222 in 238 innings, limiting opponents to a .235 batting average. Kmatz is the third Beaver taken all-time by Tampa Bay and the first since Drew Rasmussen in 2017. Oregon State right-handed pitcher Aiden May has been selected in the second round, 70th overall, by the Miami Marlins Sunday in the MLB First-Year Player Draft. May, an Albuquerque, N.M., native, is the second Beaver taken in this year’s draft, following Travis Bazzana’s No. 1 overall selection earlier Sunday. May pitched for the Beavers in 2024 after transferring from Arizona, and led the Beaver pitching staff as the club’s Friday starter. He went 7-1 last season, posting a 3.05 earned run average while striking out 84 batters in 73 2/3 innings. He held opponents to a .219 batting average. The righty was named a Third-Team All-American by the NCBWA, ABCA and Perfect Game. He was selected as an All-Pac-12 First Team performer and also the NCBWA’s National Pitcher of the Month for May. May is the sixth Beaver taken all-time by Miami, and the first since Ben Wetzler in 2014.
