Illini Parr Drafted by Phillies

Fighting Illini Senior Justin Parr, whose season included a 33-game hitting streak, was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighth round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Friday.

Parr, who was taken with the 241st overall pick, becomes the highest-drafted Illini since 2009 when Brandon Wikoff was selected in the fifth round by the Houston Astros.

"I am extremely excited to continue my career and be able to keep playing," Parr told Fighting Illini-dot-com. "I am proud to call myself an Illini and thankful for everyone who has helped me reach this dream. I am really happy to be a part of the Phillies organization and hope to start playing soon.  I tried to go about a normal day and not put too much pressure on myself. I was really humbled and just happy to get an opportunity to play. All the glory goes to God. I am glad it's done for me, and now I am just looking to see where Jordan will go."

Parr is the 22nd Illini player to be drafted in the first 10 rounds and third to be picked in the eighth round.

He also is the third Parr to be drafted out of Illinois, as older brother Josh Parr was taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks (12th round) in 2011 and twin brother Jordan Parr was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers (26th round) in 2012, but did not sign.