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BLACKSBURG, Va. – For the 16^th time in the last 17 years and for the fifth straight year, the Virginia Tech Hokies have seen one of their players selected in the Major League Baseball draft as recent graduate Tim Smalling’s name was called on the second day of the 2011 MLB First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday afternoon.

The shortstop, who was also selected in the 2010 draft but decided to return to Blacksburg for his senior year, was the 468^th pick of this year’s draft, chosen with the 17^th pick of the 15^th round by the Colorado Rockies.

In his final season at Tech, Smalling improved his power numbers, in a year in which those numbers were supposed to go down. He had six triples, which was tied for 25^th in the nation at the end of the regular season, and nine home runs, tied for 112^th in the country, and both of those numbers are two more than his 2010 totals. He matched his doubles output with 14.

He also increased his RBI total by five, driving in 42 this season and had 122 total bases, which was tied for 75^th in the nation at the end of the regular season. He also struck out 10 less times at the plate (29 in 220 at-bats) in 15 more plate appearances.

Smalling was a 14^th round pick of the Washington Nationals in the 2010 draft.

The 2011 draft will conclude on Wednesday starting at noon. It will include rounds 31-50.

For updates on Virginia Tech baseball, follow the Hokies on Twitter (@VT_Baseball).