BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Birmingham-Southern's Bruce Maxwell has been drafted by the Oakland A's in the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft. He was selected as the second pick of the second round, or 62nd overall, and is BSC's highest-ever draft pick in program history.

Maxwell is the highest Division III pick since 2003 when Cal Lutheran's Justin Hirsh was drafted 59th overall, and becomes BSC's 60th overall player to go to the MLB, and second in the Division III era after Drew Leachman was selected in the 37th round by the Minnesota Twins last season.

Maxwell has had a banner career on the Hilltop, leading the Panthers to the SCAC championship this past season in their first year of eligibility as well as the finals of the NCAA Central Regional in Millington, Tenn.

He was named ABCA/Rawlings and D3baseball.com National Player of the Year, as well as SCAC Offensive Player-of-the-Year and D3baseball.com South Region Player of the Year. Maxwell was a D3baseball.com First-Team All-America and All-South selection, and First-Team All-SCAC and SCAC All-Tournament.

The junior from Toney, Ala., led the SCAC with a .471 batting average (7th-best in SCAC single-season) and also led the league in homeruns (15), doubles (25), runs scored (56), total bases (142), slugging percentage (.928), on-base percentage (.619) and walks (59 - new SCAC single-season record). He was fourth in runs batted in (48) and second in hits (72).

In addition to being named a national, regional, and conference player of the year, Maxwell was also named All-SCAC First Team as well as SCAC All-Tournament. He was also named the SCAC Hitter of the Week twice during the regular season and National Hitter of the Week once, and was named BSC Male Athlete of the Year.