KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Blake Dunn became the 113th Western Michigan selection in the Major League Baseball Draft on Tuesday afternoon. The outfielder was selected in the 15th round (450th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds.

The Saugatuck, Michigan, native becomes the first draft pick out of Western since Nic Laio and Connor Smith were both selected in the 2018 draft (the 2020 draft was limited to five rounds and 160 picks due to the COVID-19 pandemic). He becomes the first Bronco drafted by the Reds since Adam Rosales in 2005 (12th round). Western Michigan has had 34 former players reach the big leagues, most recently Keegan Akin with the Baltimore Orioles.

Dunn was named the Preseason MAC Player of the Year by D1Baseball in 2021, but battled through an early-season injury. He finished the season hitting .305 in 27 games with a .474 on-base percentage and .576 slugging percentage. He finished with 14 RBI, four doubles, four home runs and three stolen bases. As a sophomore in the abbreviated 2020 campaign, Dunn played in all 15 games, hitting a pair of homers with 17 RBI and 11 stolen bases.

He was an All-MAC outfielder as a freshman in 2019 as the only Bronco to start in all 49 games. He led the team in batting (.374), runs (43), hits (71), triples (two), slugging percentage (.521), on-base percentage (.467) and stolen bases (30). His 30 stolen bases as a freshman are a program record.