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Post by elon_phan on Jun 13, 2007 11:18:55 GMT -5
Booker Signs With Washington Nationals
6/13/2007
ELON, N.C. – Elon pichter and first baseman Zach Booker (Elon, N.C.) recently signed a free agent contract with the Washington Nationals. Booker, who will play first base and catch, will report to the National's Golf Coast League team on Thursday.
In the 2007 Phoenix season, Booker hit .340 with 17 hits in 50 at bats. He posted four doubles, two home runs and 11 RBI. In the field, Booker collected 30 putouts and 12 assists.
On the mound, Booker was 5-4 with a 5.16 ERA. He made 17 appearances and started 14 games while striking out 42 batters in 82.0 innings of work.,
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Post by elonbb07 on Jun 13, 2007 12:39:36 GMT -5
Congrats to Booker (and Vasami also) for moving on to Pro Ball! I think they need to run a spell-check on the Booker article however  |
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Post by elon_phan on Jun 15, 2007 21:53:42 GMT -5
Booker eyes position change while maintaining family's tradition in pros
By Bob Sutton / Times-News
June 14
Zach Booker is willing to switch roles to extend his baseball playing days.
He’ll move back to catcher as he begins his professional career.
Booker, a former Western Alamance High School and Elon University player, agreed to a free-agent contract with the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. He’ll start with the organiza-tion’s rookie team in the Gulf Coast League in Melbourne, Fla.
“They want me to go catch and play first base and hit,” Booker said. “If that doesn’t work out, they know I can pitch.”
Booker leaves today for Florida and will sign a contract when he arrives, he said. This con-tinues a family tradition of professional baseball — his grandfather, Jack McKeon, was a minor league player before a long career as a major-league general manager and manager, while his father, Greg Booker, was a big-league pitcher and pitching coach and now scouts for the Cleveland Indians.
Zach Booker completed his collegiate eligibility last month with Elon, primarily as a pitcher.
“I caught some bullpens to stay fresh with it,” he said.
He played three seasons for UNC Wilmington, donning the catching gear upon occasion there. He also did some catching in college summer leagues. He transferred to Elon for his final season.
“Coach (Mike) Kennedy allowed me to play some first base and to hit,” Booker said. “I know it was tough when a guy is coming in just for a year.”
He was also a first baseman and catcher in American Legion baseball for Burlington-Graham Post 63. He said his Post 63 manager, Todd Wirt (a former Elon player), helped facilitate this transfer and credited him with aiding his career.
Booker, 22, was working at Elon’s youth camp Wednesday when he found out he would be joining the Nationals.
“I’m lucky I got a call,” he said, pointing out that he would have attended tryout camps. “I was definitely going to keep baseball at the top of my list of the things I wanted to do.”
The Gulf Coast League Nationals are Washington’s only rookie-level affiliate. Nationals scout Jeff Zona made arrangements for Booker to join the organization.
Booker compiled a 12-4 record with 5.44 earned run average at UNCW before posting a 5-4 mark with a 5.16 ERA for Elon. At the plate, he hit .340 (17-for-50) with two home runs, four doubles and 11 RBI for Elon.
He’ll be the first former Western Alamance player to compete in professional baseball since Brian Foster, also a catcher. Foster began a now-complete minor-league career in 1999.
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