Baseball

After years of planning, fundraising and false hopes, plans to build a new stadium for the University of Minnesota baseball team are finally moving forward.

The University is seeking an architect and contractor to build a $7.5 million baseball stadium to replace the 40-year-old Siebert Field. The new artificial turf field is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.

For decades, the Gophers baseball program heard rumors of getting a new place to call home, but another multi-million dollar project would come up and trump it — most recently, TCF Bank Stadium.

Siebert Field ranks last among Big Ten baseball facilities, according to Gophers baseball coach John Anderson.

Despite $2 million from the family of Minnesota Twins CEO Jim Pohlad, the fundraising campaign for a new stadium is still significantly short of the $7 million needed to break ground.

Randy Handel, father of Minnesota shortstop Michael Handel, recently took over the Golden Gopher Fund, the driving force behind the fundraising movement.

For the second time in the last three years, six Gophers baseball players were drafted in the MLB First-Year Player Draft.

Draft picks will now have to decide whether to return to college or sign a pro contract, which some have already chosen to do.

“I’m happy for the student-athletes. It’s an opportunity obviously if they choose, especially those with eligibility left to pursue their professional baseball goals and dreams,” head coach John Anderson said.

Pitchers Austin Lubinsky and TJ Oakes were selected in the 36th and 41st rounds respectively on Wednesday’s portion of the MLB Draft, joining Justin Gominsky, Nick O’Shea, AJ Pettersen and Scott Matays to comprise the Gophers’ 2011 draft class.
Lubinsky, a junior, was selected by the San Fransisco Giants. The righty started 13 games, and went 5-6 with a 4.36 ERA.
The Minnesota Twins selected Oakes after an impressive sophomore campaign in which he started 14 games, going 5-5 with a 3.26 ERA and earning Third Team All-Big Ten honors.

The Houston Astros made junior outfielder Justin Gominsky the first Gopher draftee in the 2011 MLB Draft, selecting the Mahtomedi, Minn., native in the 11th round.

After missing the majority of the 2010 season with a knee injury, Gominksy rebounded nicely in 2011. He started 49 games and finished with a .307 batting average, which was second on the team.

If he elects to sign with the club, he will join 2010 draftee Mike Kvasnicka as former Minnesota players in the Astros’ farm system. 

After their season ended in the Big Ten tournament Saturday, a handful of Gophers are turning their hopes to the MLB First-Year Player Draft on June 6-8.

Closer Scott Matyas is familiar with the process by now.

Matyas was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 29th round of the 2009 draft, but opted to return for a junior season, after which he was selected in the 40th round by the Milwaukee Brewers.