LUCAS VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS / LUCAS PHOTO GALLERY

Dunedin, FL – Senior Jon Lucas (Hackettstown, NJ / Hackettstown) became the eighth former Wagner student-athlete in the last six years to sign a professional contract with a Major League Team when he inked a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays as an undrafted free agent earlier today.

Lucas, who was recently named by head coach Joe Litterio as the Green & White's 2011 Team MVP, will serve as a right-handed pitcher with Toronto. He was also Wagner's primary designated hitter over the last two years.

“Playing professionally has been my dream since I was a little kid and I am excited to have been afforded the opportunity,” said Lucas. “I want to thank coach Litterio, coach Malloy and coach Consolmagno for helping to develop my game at Wagner. Most importantly I want to thank my parents for being so supportive and involved in my dream”

This past season, the hard-throwing Lucas started 12 games on the hill and went 4-6 while leading the Seahawks in ERA (4.15), innings (69.1) and strikeouts (53). He was also extremely consistent, yielding three runs or less in eight of his 12 starts – including seven-straight at point. Lucas picked it up down the stretch, posting series-finale wins over Quinnipiac (4/22), Saint Joseph's (4/30) and FDU (5/8), striking out 22, while walking just two, with a 0.81 ERA over 22.1 innings of work during that time.

Lucas, who collected All-Northeast Conference (NEC) Second Team honors as a designated hitter in 2011, becomes the second student-athlete from the league to ink a professional contract as Monmouth's Ryan Terry was selected in the 21st round by the Tampa Bay Rays of last week's Major League Baseball draft.

“I am excited for Jon,” said Litterio. “He is one of those guys that deserves a chance to play at the next level. It's great to see his hard work and dedication pay off!”

Lucas joins Andrew Bailey, Joe Testa, Kyle Morrison and Andy Wells in the professional ranks. Bailey is currently the closer for the Oakland Athletics while Testa is with the High-A Potomac Nationals (Washington Nationals). Morrison and Wells are currently pitching in the Independent ranks as Morrison is a reliever with the Newark Bears of the Can-Am League while Wells is starting for the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings of the North American League.

The Garden State native becomes the first former Wagner student-athlete to sign a contract with the Toronto organization and will most likely start his professional career with the GCL Blue Jays, Bluefield Blue Jays or Vancouver Canadians. Bailey began his professional career with Vancouver in 2006 while former Seahawk standouts Joey DiGeronimo and Andrew Huebner each played for Bluefield.

Recent student-athletes who signed professional contracts with Major League organizations
Jon Lucas 2011 – Toronto Blue Jays
Andy Wells 2010 – Philadelphia Phillies
Andrew Huebner 2009 - Baltimore Orioles
Kyle Morrison 2009 - Washington Nationals
Joe Testa 2008 - Minnesota Twins
Joseph DiGeronimo 2007 - Baltimore Orioles
Mike McTamney 2007 - Philadelphia Phillies
Andrew Bailey 2006 - Oakland A's