XAVIER MACKLIN

Hard work pays off for Xavier Macklin

One of the best kids I've ever played with.

GREENSBORO- North Carolina A&T slugger Xavier Macklin is a member of the Oakland Athletics organization. On the second day of the First-Year Major League Baseball Player Draft, Macklin was selected in the 12th round as the 376th pick. Macklin is the first Aggie taken in the draft since the St. Louis Cardinals selected C.J. Beatty in the 26th round in 2009.
Macklin, a junior out of Rocky Mount, N.C., posted impressive power numbers throughout his Aggies career. He hit .357 with 49 home runs and 183 RBIs as he set school marks in home runs, RBIs and slugging percentage. Macklin's reputation for power can be measured in his .705 career slugging percentage. He ends his collegiate career with three first-team All-MEAC honors.
Macklin said he was informed about being drafted at approximately 5 p.m. Apprehension and nervousness drove him away from following the draft hours before the Athletics selected him. Macklin received a phone call from a friend notifying him of the good news. A local A's scout who lives in Greensboro made the official call for the organization.
"I can't describe this feeling right now," said Macklin. "It's crazy. It's surreal. It's like I'm not even here right now."
The 2011 season solidified Macklin's status as a MLB prospect. He hit .355 with 22 home runs and 67 RBIs. Nationally, he ranks second in home runs and home runs per game. He owns the fourth-best slugging percentage in the nation and his RBIs per game ranks him 11th.
"He really deserves this," said N.C. A&T head coach Keith Shumate. "People recognize how much talent this young man has, but I don't think people know how hard he worked to get to this point. He had a legendary career at A&T."
Macklin is one of only two MEAC players who have been selected thus far. Bethune-Cookman catcher Peter O'Brien went in the third round to the Colorado Rockies. Macklin becomes the seventh player under Shumate to be taken in the MLB Draft. He is the fourth Aggie in the last five years to be selected, and earned the second highest draft position of any Aggie selected during the Shumate era. Duron LaGrande was drafted in the 10th round by the Montreal Expos in 2004.

 

X Wasting No Time!

Since the draft last week, Xavier has already signed w/ the A's & was assigned today to the Vermont Lake Monsters, who play in the Class A-short season league up north. Their home games are played at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont. Just in time, the Lake Monsters start up their season tomorrow night.

 

Awesome place

My son goes to Law School in Vermont so I am going to email him so he can catch that game tomorrow night. Thanks for the info!

 

Stretchy, the Lake Monsters start their home schedule on the 20th. This weekend they play the Tri-City ValleyCats in Troy, New York. (Hudson Valley Community College campus)

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/schedule/index.jsp?sid=t462

 

Our kids are finally becoming pro's....

Thanks Karl.....I have scheduled to go see Xman play on July 3rd.

 

xavier is a tremendous talent. I was one of the seniors the year before he came to a&t, and we graduated a very talented bunch that set school records for wins 3 of the 4 years we played. We wondered how the new class would do. Xavier one a major reason A&T continued their success. I have seen him hit many homeruns while watching a&t play, and none of them barely scraped the fence. Also the new bbcor bats did not slow him down as he finished with 22 hrs on the season. (maybe 24) he was either 2nd or 3rd in the nation in homeruns. He is a tremendous talent, and wish him the most of luck while playing in the minors (although i doubt he needs much luck, he is a hard working kid)

 

After two weeks:

Xavier batting .389 (Vermont's leading hitter)

 

Vermont Lake Monsters vs Tri City Valley Cats in Troy NY

Had a great night at the ballpark with a standing room only crowd to watch Xman go 1 for 4 with two bang bang outs at first that were very very close using his speed. Also a 380 foot flyout to CF.......he was still the same old smiling kid. Hope to see his career continue to flourish as he is currently batting .385 to lead his team and 4th in the league. Great start for Xman.