Dan Paolini ended his college baseball career at Siena today as he signed a professional contract with the Seattle Mariners.

The two-time MAAC Player of the Year forgoes his final season of collegiate eligibility.

The Mariners drafted Paolini on Tuesday, June 7 with the second pick of the 10th Round (303rd overall) in the Major League Baseball draft. Paolini has been asked to report to the Pulaski Mariners of the Appalachian League in Pulaski, Virginia.

Paolini becomes the 34th player in program history to ink a professional baseball contract. He was the 12th player drafted in the last 15 years.

The 2nd baseman finished his junior season with a .380 career batting average and 56 home runs, both program records. It was the 56 long balls in just three seasons that earned him national recognition as one of the top power hitters in all of college baseball.

Paolini was named a Second Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball in 2010 after leading the nation with .49 home runs per game, becoming the only Siena student athlete ever to be tabbed to an All American Team at the Division I level.

He was selected MAAC Rookie of the Year as a freshman, and MAAC Player of the Year as a sophomore and junior. This year, he helped the Saints reach the MAAC title game, belting 19 home runs and breaking his own single-season RBI record with 67.

Pulaski opens its 2011 schedule at home Tuesday, June 21st against the Danville Braves.

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