University of Louisiana-Lafayette shortstopBlake Trahan, the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, was taken by the Cincinnati Reds in the third round Tuesday. Trahan, a 5-foot-9, 180-pound junior from Kinder, helped lead the Cajuns into the NCAA Tournament super regional round where they fell to LSU on Sunday night.
Trahan hit .315 for the Cajuns in 2015 with 29 RBIs, two home runs and 15 doubles. He also stole 17 bases. He was best known for his defense, which Baseball America said he improved considerably this season. He had a fielding percentage of .971.
He was a third team Louisville Slugger All-American selection.
Trahan said before last week’s super regional series against LSU that being drafted would be a dream-come-true.
Though his skills are numerous, Trahan said he thought his best attribute was his passion for the game.
“Being able to play the game hard every pitch,” Trahan “Being a grinder. Baseball is a game where you don’t always play great. You have to grind through it and play hard. I think that’s what I do best.”
He struggled in last weekend’s super regional against the top-ranked Tigers. He was 1-for-10 in the two games, hitting leadoff for the Cajuns. His only hit came to startSunday’s game when he singled off LSU starter Jared Poche. Defensively, however, he played well and did not have an error.
LSU defeated UL-Lafayette, 4-3, on Saturday and, 6-3, on Sunday to sweep the super regional series.
Trahan was a second team All-American in 2014 when he helped lead the Cajuns to a 58-10 record. UL-Lafayette was top ranked in several polls the final few weeks of the 2014 regular season. The Cajuns missed making it to the College World Series by one game. He hit .355 with 12 doubles and four home runs last season.
His stock soared last summer when he competed for Team USA.
“Blake has continued to work hard and be a leader for this program since he stepped on campus,” UL-Lafayette coach Tony Robichaux said. “He’s a leader both on the field and off of the field.”
Via Trey Iles/Nola.com/TheTimes-Picayune