Late selections of Dunham, Bunnell set new IU record

As the MLB Draft winded down on Wednesday IU sat tied for the largest draft class in school history with eight players having already been selected. In the 40th and final round of the draft a pair of Hoosiers, sophomore Elijah Dunham and senior Cade Bunnell, were picked by the Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves respectively to push that total to 10, setting a new record.

Dunham missed the early part of the season with an injury, but upon returning he quickly became an impact player for the Hoosiers. He hit .311 in the middle of the order, blasting eight home runs and driving in 29 runs while also playing well defensively in left field.

Bunnell was a valuable bench player for IU throughout the season. He played both first and second base and performed well when called upon. He started the final two games of the season, going 1-4 with an RBI, three walks and a hit by pitch and worked well up the middle alongside shortstop Jeremy Houston. The most memorable moment of Bunnell’s two seasons in Bloomington has to be his walk-off single against Purdue earlier this year:

Following the draft, Dunham will have a decision to make. He still has two years of eligibility remaining and has all summer to decide what his next step will be. Bunnell’s decision will be much easier as a graduated senior with no remaining eligiblity—he should be heading to wherever the Braves send him to start his professional career.