EDINBURG – The Washington Nationals announced on Wednesday that they have selected The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) baseball senior second baseman Anthony Gomez with its 34^th round pick (1,023^rd overall) of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft.
 
Gomez becomes the 37^th student-athlete to be selected in the MLB Draft in program history and the sixth in eight years after the Chicago White Sox drafted Jose Garcia in the 25^th round (747^th overall) in 2017, the Los Angeles Dodgers selected outfielder Logan Landon in the 10^th round (312^th overall) in 2015, the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted right-handed pitcher Sam Street in the 16^th round (491^st overall) in 2014, the San Francisco Giants selected right-handed pitcher Dusten Knight in the 28^th round (852^nd overall) in 2013, and the Houston Astros drafted third baseman Angel Ibanez in the 28^th round (849^th overall) in 2012.
 
Gomez is the program's eighth infielder to be selected in the MLB Draft and first since Ibanez in 2012.
 
Gomez is also the second player to be drafted by the Nationals organization, with the last coming in 1981 when pitcher Carlos Hidalgo was drafted by the Montréal Expos in the 27^th round (682^nd overall).
 
Gomez is looking to become the fifth alum to ever reach the major leagues as a player. Four have done it previously, including third baseman George Williams, who played for the Oakland A's from 1995-97 and the San Diego Padres in 2000, catcher Dan Firova, who played for the Milwaukee Brewers from 1981-82 and the Cleveland Indians in 1988, infielder Wayne Tyrone, who played for the Chicago Cubs in 1978, and outfielder Jim Tyrone, who played for the Cubs in 1972, 1974 and 1975 as well as the A's in 1977.
 
Other infielders drafted in the 34^th round of previous MLB Drafts to reach the majors include Tyler Flowers (2005), who is currently in his 11^thmajor league season split between the White Sox and Atlanta Braves, Nick Punto (1997), who played 14 season for the Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, Dodgers and A's, Orlando Hudson (1996), who played 11 seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Twins, Padres and White Sox, and Mike Moredecai (1986) who played 12 seasons with the Braves, Expos and Florida Marlins.
 
As a senior this past season, Gomez hit a career-best .312 with a .389 on-base percentage and a career-best .430 slugging percentage. He also set career-highs in doubles (10), triples (two), home runs (four), RBI (49) and runs scored (39) while stealing five bases. He recorded a team-high 22 multi-hit games, including two of three hits and one of four. He also had a team-high 13 multi-RBI games, including four of three RBI and one each of four and five RBI. Gomez ranked ninth in the WAC in hits (69). Defensively, Gomez played suffocating defense at second base and was part of turning 38 double plays.
 
Gomez played four seasons for UTRGV, hitting .281 (171-for-608) with 25 doubles, five triples, seven home runs, 87 RBI, 96 runs scored and 17 stolen bases in 179 games. He primarily played shortstop as a freshman and then saw most of his time in right field as a sophomore before playing the last two seasons at second base.

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