For the fourth time in Virginia baseball history (2008, 2011, 2014, and now 2017), the Hoos have had at least five players drafted in the first 10 rounds of the MLB Draft as 2B Ernie Clement and RHP Alec Bettinger went to the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers, respectively.
Clement batted .315 with 34 RBI, two home runs, and 14 stolen bases in 58 games in 2017. Over his three-year career in Charlottesville, Clement established himself as one of the most difficult players to strike out. In 745 career at bats, Ernie struck out only 31 times (4% of his at bats).