Former George Mason Baseball pitcher Chris O'Grady was selected by the Cincinnati Reds with the 2nd pick of the 2nd round of Thursday's 2015 Major League Baseball Rule V Draft. With the selection, the Reds must keep O'Grady on their active Major League roster for the entire 2016 season or offer him back to his former club, the Los Angeles Angels.
Grady, who pitched for the Patriots from 2009-2012, split 2015 between the Angels AA and AAA affiliates. He had a 3.31 ERA and four saves while making 38 appearances for the AA Arkansas Travelers; before being promoted to Salt Lake City of the Pacific Coast League. Grady closed out the year appearing in seven games for the Bees sporting a 3.12 ERA in 8.2 innings.
In 2012, his final season with the Patriots, Grady went 2-0 and led the CAA with 14 saves. He allowed just 5 ER in 37 IP for a 1.22 ERA, with a .163 opponents' batting average.
When Grady debuts with the Reds next Spring, he'll be one of two former Patriots in the majors for 2016, joining Marlins 1B Justin Bour.
George Mason Baseball opens up the 2016 season on Friday, February 19 against USC Upstate in Spartanburg, SC. The Patriots home opener is one week later, on Friday, February 26 with Mason begins a 3-game weekend series with Rutgers at Spuhler Field.
