SECAUCUS, N.J. — Longwood junior left fielder Kyri Washington became the ninth player in Longwood’s 36 years of baseball to be selected in the 2015 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, coming off the board as the 681st overall selection by the Boston Red Sox in the 23rd round.

Washington finished his third season with the Lancers as the Big South Conference leader with 15 home runs.

The 15 homers tie for the third most in a single season for Longwood while the slugger also hit a career best .279 in 2015 and drove in a team high 52 runs.

Under NCAA rules, Washington has the option to return to Longwood to play his senior season if he does not sign a professional contract.

The deadline for players selected in the 2015 draft to sign a contract with a Major League Baseball organization is July 17.

The junior joins the ranks of eight other Lancers to be selected in the first-year player draft with Longwood’s most recent selection coming in 2011 as pitcher Mark Montgomery signed with the Yankees.

Washington becomes just the third player drafted during the Division I era, joining Montgomery and Phil Cerrato (2010-Cardinals) as the trio of Lancers picked in the past decade.

Washington’s selection by the Red Sox is the first time Boston has drafted a Lancer, bringing the number of organizations which have drafted a Longwood player to six.

While playing in the Cape Cod League, Washington burst onto the scene with an impressive workout at, ironically, Boston’s Fenway Park.

During batting practice at the hallowed grounds, the powerful Washington launched seven home runs, catching the attention of scouts across the nation.

Washington’s connection to Boston does not stop there, as the Lancers were visited this spring by Bill James, the father sabermetrics and member of the Red Sox organization.

If Washington does sign with the Red Sox, he will join Montgomery as the only former Lancers active in affiliated baseball.