Elon’s Zammarelli Drafted by Seattle Mariners

ELON, N.C. – With the 11th selection in the eighth round of the 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, the Seattle Mariners selected Elon junior utility player Nick Zammarelli. He was the 237th player drafted overall.

Zammarelli is the highest Phoenix position player drafted since infielder Chase Austin was picked in the fifth round by the Florida Marlins.

“After the season, I sat down with my advisor and we were expecting to go in the top 10 rounds. It just happened to work out that it was the Mariners. I want to give special thanks to the Elon coaching staff and my teammates. I really like the scouting staff with Seattle. I’ve known them since they scouted me in high school. I’m proud to be a part of this organization.”

Zammarelli, a native of Lincoln, R.I., led the Phoenix with a .342 batting average, 76 hits, 56 runs scored, 51 RBI and 10 stolen bases. The third-team Louisville Slugger All-American also led the squad with 24 doubles, matching the program’s single-season record. Zammarelli ended the year riding an eight-game hitting streak and reached base safely in the final 24 games of the 2016 campaign. He homered nine times and had two triples to post a team-best .590 slugging percentage. During his junior season, Zammarelli tallied 20 multi-hit games and posted 12 multi-RBI outings. The first-team All-CAA honoree established a new career-high with five hits in a victory over UNCG in April. With runners in scoring position, Zammarelli hit .397 (25-for-63) on the year. In 2016, he played games at first base, second base, third base, left field and right field.

In his three seasons in the maroon and gold, Zammarelli hit .307 (181-for-589) with 43 doubles, five triples and 17 home runs. He drove in 123 runs and scored 108 times. Zammarelli posted a career .484 slugging percentage and a .386 career on-base percentage. He swiped 16 bases.