Waterloo, Iowa – Four former Waterloo Bucks were drafted during the 2019 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft.  Ryan Garcia, Joe Genord, Joe Aeilts, and Jake Means all heard their names called during the three-day draft which began on Monday of this week.

The first former Waterloo player selected in the 2019 MLB Draft was pitcher Ryan Garcia.  Garcia was taken in the 2^nd round with the 50^th overall pick by the Texas Rangers.  A product of UCLA, Garcia played for the Bucks in 2018 where the righty posted a 3-2 record, a 1.88 ERA, and 52 strikeouts in 48 innings pitched.

With the 268^th overall pick (9^th round), the New York Mets selected first baseman Joe Genord.  A product of the University of South Florida, Genord represented the Bucks in the Home Run Derby at the 2017 Northwoods League All-Star Game.  Genord finished his only season in Waterloo with a .263 average, 8 home runs, and 22 RBI.

Former Waterloo outfielder Joe Aeilts, an Illinois State University product, was taken in the 14^th round with the 429^th pick by the Colorado Rockies.  Aeilts hit .222 with 5 RBI in 21 games while playing with the Bucks in 2018.

Jake Means heard his name called in the 22^nd round as the Kansas City Royals selected the third baseman 649^th overall.  Means, an Indiana State University product, played with Waterloo in 2018.  In a short stay with the Bucks due to injuries, Means hit .235 in six games.

The Bucks finish up a four-game homestand at Cost Cutters Field at Riverfront Stadium tonight versus the Duluth Huskies at 6:35 pm.  The Bucks will host the 2019 Northwoods League All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 16.  The ballpark welcomed a new state of the art video board in 2016 thanks to a matching grant from the Black Hawk County Gaming Association.  Team ownership has invested more than $300,000 in improvements since the end of the 2014 season including painted bleachers, public Wi-Fi, sound system, group outing areas, kids zone inflatables, and concessions equipment.  Fans are encouraged to stay in touch with the Bucks by utilizing their website at www.waterloobucks.com or utilizing the Northwoods League Mobile App.

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The Waterloo Bucks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The 25-year old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, over 200 former Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist (CHC) and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (BOS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET) and Curtis Granderson (MIA).  All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League portal. For more information, visit www.waterloobucks.com or download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Bucks as your favorite team.