WRAL Sports Fan

North Carolina

Six Tar Heels taken on final day of MLB draft

Jun 6, 2012

Chapel Hill, N.C. — Three current and three North Carolina signees were drafted on the final day of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft Wednesday. Juniors Cody Penny and Tommy Coyle were taken in the 16th round and R.C. Orlan was selected in the 30th round.

Penny was taken by the Cleveland Indians in the 16th round, nine picks before Coyle was tabbed by the Tampa Bay Rays. Orlan was selected in the 30th round by the Washington Nationals.

Three 2013 signees were also drafted on the third and final day of the MLB Draft led by Landon Lassiter who was taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 16th round. Skye Bolt was tabbed by the Washington Nationals in the 26th round by the Washington Nationals and Korey Dunbar was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 39th round.

Penny finished his junior campaign with a 6.61 ERA in 16 1/3 innings of work. Penny appeared in 18 games with two starts for the Tar Heels, while posting a 19/9 strikeout to walk ratio.
Coyle appeared in all 62 games for the Tar Heels with 61 starts spread out at shortstop and second base. Coyle hit .244 on the year with seven doubles, six triples and four home runs for Carolina, while also stealing 13 bases.

Orlan was one of the top relief options out of the bullpen for Carolina in 2012 as he sported a 2.21 ERA in an ACC-leading 38 appearances. Orlan tied for the team high in wins with eight over 57 innings of work. Orlan struck out 66 batters, while walking just 11.

Landon Lassiter is a very athletic and durable shortstop from High Point, N.C. that possesses power and speed from the right side of the plate. Ranked No. 266 in the nation by Perfect Game and tabbed No. 6 in the state of North Carolina. Tabbed No. 7 in the state by Impact Baseball. Lassiter's brother, Garrison, signed with Carolina before being drafted by the New York Yankees in 2008.

Skye Bolt is a switch-hitting outfielder who can run from Woodstock, Ga. Bolt has power from both sides of the plate and defensively possesses a very strong and accurate arm. Ranked the No. 6 player in the state of Georgia by Perfect Game and ranked No. 39 in the class of 2012 by Baseball America. Bolt is tabbed the No. 45 player in the country by Perfect Game and No. 11 among outfielders in the nation. He participated in the 2011 Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park in San Diego, Calif.

Korey Dunbar is a physical catcher and corner infielder with power from the right side of the plate. Dunbar controls the game from behind the plate and is a strong receiver and thrower. He is ranked among the top 500 in the country by Perfect Game and was tabbed the top player in the state of West Virginia by Perfect Game. Dunbar earned first team all-state honors as a junior.