By Eric J. Dolan
STANFORD, Calif. - Junior pitcher Cal Quantrill was selected by the San Diego Padres with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the MLB Draft on Thursday night.

“I am incredibly excited to be a member of the San Diego Padres organization,” Quantrill said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without my family and friends, and I can’t wait to start my pro career.”

Quantrill was a Louisville Slugger and Perfect Game Freshman All-American in 2014. The Port Hope, Ont., native was 7-5 with a 2.68 ERA and an All-Pac-12 honoree as a rookie. He was the first Cardinal freshman to start on Opening Day since Mike Mussina in 1988, and went on to lead the team in innings (110.2) and strikeouts (98).

Quantrill was a preseason All-America selection by several publications in 2015 and 2016, and was on the Golden Spike Award watch list prior to each of those campaigns. He began the 2015 season at 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA, but injury forced the right-hander to miss the rest of his sophomore year, and his entire junior season.

For his career, Quantrill finished 9-5 with a 2.57 ERA and 118 strikeouts in 129.1 innings. 

Stanford has had a first round draft pick in five of the last six years, and has now produced 31 first-round draft picks, including 26 under head coach Mark Marquess. Prior to Quantrill, Alex Blandino was the last Cardinal player selected in the first round -- 29th overall by the Cincinnati Reds in 2014. Quantrill is the highest selected Stanford player since Mark Appel went No. 1 overall in 2013.

A Management Science and Engineering major, Quantrill will walk at graduation on Sunday after just three years at Stanford.