By JOHN BOHNENKAMP
Infielder Zane Zielinski became the second former Burlington Bees player in the Prospect League era to go in the Major League Baseball draft when he was selected in the ninth round by the San Francisco Giants on Monday.
Zielinski, who played for the Bees in their inaugural Prospect League season in 2021, was the 268th overall pick.
Zielinski batted .363 at Illinois-Chicago this season, starting all 55 games. He hit eight home runs and drove in 42 runs on his way to being an All-Missouri Valley Conference first-team pick.
Zielinski stole 20 bases in 24 attempts. He finished the season with a 1.032 OPS.
Zielinski was the Bees’ leading hitter in 2021, batting .317 with two home runs and 26 runs batted in. He had two doubles and 13 stolen bases.
Spencer Nivens, also a member of the 2021 team, was the first Bees player to be drafted, going to the Kansas City Royals in the fifth round last year. Nivens is playing with the Royals’ High-A affiliate in the Quad Cities, and is batting .158 with four home runs. Nivens also spent two games on a rehabilitation assignment with the Royals’ Rookie League team in Arizona, hitting .625.
Photo: Zane Zielinski takes a swing during a 2021 game with the Burlington Bees. (Steve Cirinna/Burlington Bees)
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