(06-06-08)

NEW YORK -- University of New Haven graduate Michael Moras was selected by the New York Mets in the 20th Round of the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Friday afternoon.  He was the 614th player selected overall.

Moras (Amity Regional HS) is the first UNH player selected since 2003, when both Stephen Bray (14th round) and Douglas Vroman (35th round) were picked.

"I'm so happy," Moras said when reached by telephone at his home in nearby Orange, Conn.

"First of all I'd like to thank my coaches, Coach Vieira, Coach Cerrato, and Coach Hourigan, for taking me and making me a better person and bringing me to the next level as a player.  Also my mother and father, I couldn't have done anything without them.  They are the greatest parents that a kid could ask for.  They were at every single game, and I couldn't have done it without them. 

"Obviously I couldn't have had the success I had without the help of my teammates," Moras continued, "especially Kyle Bombace.  He was my workout partner who did everything with me and really helped me a lot.  I'm just so excited."

Moras leaves UNH as a four-time all-conference selection (three first team honors), and is the program's all-time leader in games played (175), RBI's (169) and doubles (53).  He had a single-season school record with 70 RBI's as a junior in 2007, and batted .344 during his four-year career.

He is third all-time at UNH with 226 hits, second with 83 walks, finished tied for seventh all-time at UNH with 25 home runs, and scored 144 runs.

Moras was a Daktronics Third Team All-America selection in 2007 and was a three-time All-Region selection. 

Moras and his family watched the draft from home.  Along with them was Moras's good friend Jason Esposito (Amity Regional High School), who went in the seventh round to the Kansas City Royals.

Moras had an inkling he would get picked in the early- to mid-rounds of the draft after he missed his UNH graduation on May 24th to have a private workout with the Mets at Shea Stadium.

"I'd also like to thank the Mets for giving me the opportunity to play for them.  Not many kids get this honor.  And thank the university of New Haven, for everything that the school did for me, the administration and everyone there."

Moras should find out where he will be assigned within the Mets organization in the next few weeks.