CLEVELAND, Miss. -- Delta State University juniors Dalton Moats and Jacob Howell and senior Trent Giambrone turned pro dreams into reality when the Statesmen trio were selected in the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.

Moats was taken in the 15th round (450th) by the Tampa Bay Rays while Howell was taken in the 21st round (634th) by the Washington Nationals. Giambrone was a 25th round selection (764th pick) by the Chicago Cubs.

Moats finished with a 12-3 record, paired with a 2.65 ERA in 112.0 innings pitched. The lefty struck out 115 batters, which currently ranks sixth in the country and is the most in the region. The Kansas City, Mo., native's 12 wins are tied for sixth on the DSU single season victories list and his 115 strikeouts are the fifth best in a single season. Moats 2016 honors include: All-Gulf South Conference Second-Team; ABCA First-Team All-South Region; NCBWA and D2CAA Second-Team All-South Region; NCAA South Region and GSC All-Tournament; All-GSC Second-Team; GSC Pitcher of the Week three times.

Howell made 18 appearances, 17 relief outings and one start, going 1-3 with three saves. The Orange, Texas, native posted a 3.91 ERA while allowing 17 runs, 15 earned, with 45 strikeouts and 15 walks in 34.1 innings pitched. In his lone start, Howell tossed five innings with seven strikeouts and gave up three runs on four hits against Henderson State (3.29). He recorded five strikeouts in two innings of relief against Alabama Huntsville (5.7) in the opening round of the 2016 Gulf South Conference Tournament. The righty went 1-0 with a save in four postseason relief appearances, recording 12 strikeouts while allowing three runs on 10 hits in 9.2 innings pitched. 

Giambrone finished the season with a .386 batting average and tied for a team-high with nine home runs. The Metairie, La., native was second on the team with 21 doubles which is tied for sixth on the DSU single season doubles list. He made just four errors in 284 fielding chances for a .986 fielder percentage to earn an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove and Defensive Player of the Year honors. Giambrone's 2016 honors include: NCBWA Honorable Mention All-American; ABCA/Rawlings First-Team All-South Region; D2CAA Second-Team All-South Region; NCBWA First-Team All-South Region; First-Team All-GSC; GSC Tournament Most Outstanding Player
 
The Statesmen finished the season 42-17 overall, winning the schools 13^th Gulf South Conference title and finiishing runner-up in the NCAA Division II South Region Tournament to eventual national champion Nova Southeastern University.