Centerfielder Chris Durkin is the highest position player selected in the Major League Baseball draft in school history. Up until 2001, he was the highest drafted player ever in YSU history.
In Durkin’s three-year YSU career from 1989-91, he had a .351 batting average with 149 hits in 424 at bats. He drilled 17 home runs to go along with 30 doubles and nine triples in 126 games played. He also scored 109 runs and had 85 RBI. On the base paths he had success with 36 steals in 47 attempts. He still ranks second in school history with a .573 slugging percentage.
As a freshman, he had a .341 batting average with 42 hits in 123 at bats. Playing in 39 games, he scored 22 runs and had 22 RBI, 11 stolen bases, six doubles and a homer.
During his sophomore season he had a breakout campaign. In 50 games, he had 55 hits in 178 at bats for a .309 batting average. He drilled seven homers and finished with 13 doubles. He scored 42 runs, had 28 RBI, stole nine bases and compiled a .517 slugging percentage. He had 15 multi-hit games and six multi-RBI contests. Durkin had one of the best performances of his career against Ohio State. He was 4-for-5 against the Buckeyes with two home runs and six RBI on April 11.
His junior campaign, which was his final year in an YSU uniform, was cut short because of an injury. But until that point, his season was on pace to be the best in school history by far. In 1991, the Penguins won a then-school record 27 games posting a 27-23 overall mark.
In 37 games, he had 52 hits in 123 at bats for an impressive .423 batting average. He blasted nine home runs, which tied a single-season school record, had 11 doubles, 45 runs scored and 36 RBI while swiping 16-of-18 bases. He had an outstanding slugging percentage of .764. He had 16 multi-hit games, highlighted by a four-hit effort against Xavier and had 14 multi-RBI contests, with a high of four versus Indiana (Pa.). He also belted two home runs against Hiram on April 3.
Durkin left YSU after three seasons when the Houston Astros drafted him in the third round as the 79th overall selection of the 1991 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
He spent seven seasons playing in the Minors for both the Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers organizations. His stops during his tenure included: Auburn (New York Penn League), Asheville (South Atlantic League), Quad Cities (Midwest League), Osceola (Florida State League), San Bernardino (California League), Vero Beach (FSL), San Antonio (Texas League), San Bernardino (CL) and San Antonio (TL).
During his professional baseball career he hit 47 home runs in 459 career games played. In 1,499 at bats, he had 384 hits, 92 doubles, 213 RBI and 248 runs scored.
Prior to becoming a Penguin, he was a standout athlete at Chaney High School. For the Cowboys he was a nine-time letterwinner earning four in baseball, three in basketball and two in football.
Durkin currently works as an administrator for ETI Technical College in Niles.
