NEW YORK --- Tusculum College catcher Sean Cotten has been selected by the Washington Nationals in the 29th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Cotten is the 877th overall pick in this year's draft, becoming the seventh player to be drafted during the Coach Doug Jones' era and 20th overall to sign professionally.

Cotten, a 6-2, 200-pound native Mooresville, N.C., wrapped up one of the most productive careers in program history this past season. The two-time All-South Atlantic Conference First Team leaves Tusculum as the school's all-time leader in home runs (35), runs batted in (186), total bases (385), walks (106) and sacrifice flies (19).

The 2010 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) All-American finished fourth on the squad this year hitting .345 with a team-best 16 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 43 RBI and a team-best 16 stolen bases. The Lake Norman High School graduate tied for the team-lead with 50 runs scored. Cotten was also a three-time SAC All-Tournament Team selection and a two-time All-Region standout.

Cotten graduated from Tusculum last month, while majoring in Sport Management. He was also a member of the Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

Cotten joins former Pioneer draft selections: Robbie Bouman (Tampa Bay Rays), Eric Butler (Arizona Diamondbacks), Kevin Hammons (Florida Marlins), Maikol Gonzalez (Colorado Rockies), Rob Currie (Milwaukee Brewers) and Raymond Ruggles (San Francisco Giants).

Tusculum posted a 33-18 record and finished third in the league. The Pioneers recorded their 11th consecutive winning season and ninth 30-win campaign.

- TC -