Cal Poly sophomore right-handed pitcher Bryan Woo was selected in the sixth round of the 2021 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on July 12 by the Seattle Mariners.
The 174th overall selection, Woo extends Cal Poly’s streak of having at least one player drafted every year since 1999. Taylor Dollard, also a pitcher, was drafted in the fifth round by the Mariners a year ago. Woo is the 29th Mustang to be drafted in the top six rounds of the MLB Draft and only the fourth in the sixth round.
The Mariners also have one of three former Mustangs drafted in the first round. Outfielder Mitch Haniger was the 38th overall selection in the 2012 draft by the Milwaukee Brewers and is enjoying a solid season at Seattle with 20 home runs and 52 RBIs through 86 games. Other first-round Mustang draftees are catcher John Orton by the Los Angeles Angels in 1987 and southpaw Garrett Olson by the Baltimore Orioles in 2005.
A total of 73 Cal Poly players coached by Larry Lee over the last 19 seasons have signed professional baseball contracts, including 71 in the last 17 years. During Lee’s tenure, 34 Mustangs have been drafted in the top 10 rounds.
A graduate of Alameda High School, Woo was 2-2 with a 6.11 ERA and one save during the 2021 season. He struck out 42 batters over 28 innings and made 10 appearances on the mound, including two starts.
Woo twice pitched over five innings in relief and earned victories in both games. He struck out seven over 5 1/3 innings in a 7-6 triumph at CSUN and fanned eight batters over 5 2/3 frames in a 5-1 win at Long Beach State. Woo did not allow a run in either contest and scattered three hits each time.
Woo was one out from finishing the game at Long Beach State on April 11 but injured his right elbow while securing the second out of the ninth inning and was sidelined the rest of the season. Kyle Scott threw one pitch to secure the final out, a line drive to third base.
Woo’s save was against UCLA as he pitched one scoreless inning in the 8-5 triumph.
During the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Woo was 1-3 with a 3.57 ERA, striking out 20 batters over 17 2/3 innings. Woo was 1-2 in 2019 with 27 strikeouts over 23 2/3 innings.