Right-handed pitcher Christian Taugner ’17 and outfielder Rob Henry ’17 were drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday, marking the first time multiple Bears were selected in the same year since 2005.
After a record-setting career with the Bears, Taugner was chosen in the 37th round of the 40-round draft.. He led Bruno with a 2.64 career ERA over 170 innings. As a senior, he totaled 35 strikeouts and just 12 walks in a team-high 60.0 innings. He was awarded Second Team All-Ivy honors and had was second in the league in conference ERA at 2.65.
Taugner has been on the team’s regular weekend rotation since his freshman year. After a promising rookie year, he missed his sophomore season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his elbow.
“I’m speechless,” Taugner said. “It’s always been a dream to get drafted, and it finally happened.”
“My time at Brown made me grow a lot as a pitcher,” he added. “It was a really tight-knit community, and everyone wanted everyone to succeed.”
Henry was drafted in the 39th round after starting in center field in all 37 of Bruno’s games this season. In 2017, he posted a .390 batting average in conference play and led the Bears with 31 runs scored and 9 stolen bases overall. Henry earned unanimous First Team All-Ivy honors this season after being named to the Second Team during his sophomore campaign. He finished with 176 hits in 152 career games.
“I’m very happy to have the opportunity to keep playing baseball,” Henry said. “I’m just glad that all the work I’ve put in in the last four years and beyond has paid off.”
“There’s not one thing you can do to help yourself play at the next level — there’s a thousand things you have to do,” Henry added. “It’s a journey.”
Both Taugner and Henry played in the Cape Cod Baseball League in summer 2016. Taugner represented the Wareham Gatemen and Bourne Braves, while Henry also took the field for the Braves.
Mark Attanasio ’79, the owner of the Brewers, donated the main gift for the recent renovation of Brown’s baseball and softball fields at Erickson Athletic Complex.
Taugner and Henry follow left-handed pitcher Austin French ’16, who was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 27th round of the 2016 draft. In 2005, Matthew Kutler '05 and Eric Larsen '05 were chosen in the 24th and 44th rounds, respectively.
A Brown player has not appeared in an MLB game since 1988, when Bill Almon '75 suited up for the Philadelphia Phillies in the last season of his 15-year career.
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