New Rochelle, N.Y. – Monroe College pitcher Joel Urena saw his professional baseball aspirations come true when he was drafted by the Texas Rangers on Tuesday. The freshman was the 224th overall selection and was chosen in the 7th round, the highest draft spot for any player in Monroe College history.
 
Urena's selection marks the third-straight season that a Monroe Mustangs Baseball player was selected in the MLB draft. The 2015 draft saw Alex Vargas selected by the Houston Astros, and in 2016 the New York Yankees selected Monroe hurler Tony Hernandez.
 
Head coach Lou Melendez reflected on the signing, saying, "We are extremely happy for Joel today. He worked very hard this season and deserves all the accolades he has received." Melendez continued, "Everyone at Monroe is very proud. I know he will excel in his future endeavors, and I thank him for his commitment to our program. It's always very special to have one of our boys reach the pros."
 
In the 2017 season, Urena was second on the team in wins (four) and innings pitched (44). He finished the year with a 4-2 record. The 6'5", hard-throwing southpaw led the staff in strikeouts (58) and led all starters in ERA (3.48). His 58 strikeouts over the course of the season translated to 11.86 strikeouts per nine innings. He fanned a season-best ten strikeouts in the District Tournament against Harford in May. Urena is the ninth Monroe player and seventh Monroe pitcher drafted to an MLB team.
 
Urena is a graduate of Gregorio Luperon High School in New York. His brother, Francisco Urena, was also a member of the Mustangs Baseball team in 2017.