Two Lobos Selected in MLB Draft
New York, NY — Mack Chambers and Justin Armbruester of The University of New Mexico baseball team have been selected in the 2021 MLB Draft. Chambers was picked by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 11th round as the 331st pick overall. Armbruester was picked in the 12th round by the Baltimore Orioles and the 347th pick overall.
Shortstop Chambers had an impressive season with the Lobos and was a consistent standout player. As the only Lobo to start every game in 2021, Chambers tied for sixth in the Mountain West in doubles (16) and 10th in slugging percentage (.624). In April, Chambers was named to the 2021 Brooks Wallace Award watch list by the College Baseball Foundation.
On February 17, Chambers posted three doubles versus Air Force and was the first Lobo to do so since April 16, 2019. Similarly, Chambers was the first Lobo since May 11, 2019, to post four runs in a game which he did on May 15 versus Utah Valley. Chambers was an 11th-round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs in 2020 but chose to remain with UNM for the 2021 season.
Right-handed pitcher Armbruester was the ace for the Lobos this past season and earned the Mountain West Pitcher of the Year award in June. Armbruester earned his spot as Pitcher of the Year after leading the Mountain West with a 3.58 ERA, an opposing batting average of .231, and a total of 101 strikeouts through 78.0 innings pitched. Armbruester earned a total of four Mountain West Pitcher of the Week honors, serving as the first time a pitcher tallied as many in program history.
On March 14, Armbruester pitched a total of nine innings and struck out 17 batters in UNM’s 1-0 10-inning win over Fresno State. The senior allowed just two hits in the game. The last time a Lobo pitcher posted 17 or more strikeouts in a game was on Feb. 17, 1998. That pitcher was Jim Serrano versus Point Lomas. Armbruester is just the seventh pitcher in UNM history to tally 17 or more strikeouts in a game. The senior from Sammamish, Wash., registered nine games with eight or more strikeouts through 13 starts.
The Lobos have now had over 100 players drafted into the MLB since 1966.