NEW YORK --- Tusculum College outfielder Alexi Colon has been selected by the San Diego Padres in the 32nd round of the 2012 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft announced officials Wednesday.

Colon becomes the 21st player during the Coach Doug Jones' era to sign professionally and the first to ink with the Padres.

Colon, a senior outfielder from Vineland, N.J., is second in the nation this year with 21 home runs, which are tied for the second most in school history. Colon batted .318, while leading the Pioneers with 69 runs scored and posted 61 hits, 11 doubles, three triples and 50 RBI. His 67 base on balls this season are the most in school and South Atlantic Conference history and tied for the 11th most ever by a NCAA II player.

Colon, a two-time All-Conference and All-Region selection, leaves Tusculum as its third-leading home run hitter, belting 33 over the last two seasons. The ABCA Division II All-America selection also leaves the Pioneers fifth in slugging percentage (.681), second in walks (105) and ninth in on-base percentage (.472). Including his 2009 campaign at Division II Dominican College, Colon has belted 42 home runs in his collegiate career.

Tusculum accounted for one of the best seasons in school history. The Pioneers posted a sterling 48-10 record, including 24-3 in South Atlantic Conference play as TC captured both the league's regular season and tournament championships. Tusculum advanced to the NCAA Tournament for a sixth time in school history where the Pioneers went 2-2 to finish third at the Southeast Regional.

TC also earned the Pioneers its highest national ranking, being listed as the No. 2 team in the country. They ended the year ranked ninth in the final 2012 Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Coaches' Poll, for TC's best national ranking to end a season.

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