University of Evansville pitcher Wade Kapteyn (Lansing, Ill./Illiana Christian) has signed a professional contract with the Detroit Tigers baseball organization after being selected by the Tigers in the 24th round last week in the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.  Kapteyn is the 47th Purple Ace to move on to the professional ranks since 1984.

Kapteyn signed with the Tigers after being drafted for the third time in his baseball career last week.  Kapteyn was also a 2006 draftee of the Chicago White Sox (20th round) out of high school and a 40th-round selection of the Minnesota Twins last June as a draft-eligible sophomore at UE.

Kapteyn pitched in 41 games at Evansville over the last three seasons, including making 30 starts on the mound for the Purple Aces.  He recorded 90 strikeouts in 148.0 career innings of work for UE, while compiling a 5-16 overall record and a save.  This past season, Kapteyn posted a 2-10 overall record and 5.71 ERA in a team-leading 15 starts on the mound, however, he was the victim of low run support, as UE averaged just 3.6 runs per game in his 15 starts this year.  Kapteyn showed his promise on the mound this past March, earning NCBWA/Pro-Line Athletic National Pitcher of the Week honors after posting a pair of victories and tossing 11 consecutive scoreless innings in two starts at Cal State Northridge and Pepperdine.

“We are extremely proud of Wade and our entire team and program wish him nothing but the best as he embarks on his professional career,” said UE head coach Wes Carroll.  “Hopefully, Wade will take what he has learned here at the University of Evansville and use that knowledge to have a successful professional career.”

Kapteyn is scheduled to report to Oneonta, New York next week to join the short-season Oneonta Tigers of the Class-A New York-Penn League.  Oneonta is the same place where former Purple Ace Preston Larrison got his professional start in 2001, after being selected by the Tigers in the amateur draft.  Larrison is currently a member of the Washington Nationals farm system.