ITHACA, N.Y. — First baseman Cole Rutherford '17 has signed as a free agent with the San Diego Padres, the team announced this weekend.

After earning All-Ivy League honorable mention in his first season with Cornell in 2016, Rutherford continued to be a key cog in the Big Red lineup during his senior season. He batted .310 with a team-high seven home runs and 33 RBI in just 31 games. He ranks 40th in the country in RBI per game. Rutherford's 29 walks also led the team, and while he was named to the academic all-district team as a designated hitter, he also provided solid defense when playing first base.

Rutherford becomes the fourth member of last year's baseball team to move on to the professional ranks. Pitchers Paul Balestrieri '17 (St. Louis Cardinals), Peter Lannoo '17 (San Francisco Giants) and Justin Lewis (Los Angeles Dodgers) were all selected in the MLB First Year Player Draft earlier this month, and all have signed with their respective team.

While Cornell has seen several players selected in the draft recently, Rutherford is the first to sign with a Major League club as a free agent since Brian Billigen '12. He will join his younger brother, Blake Rutherford, in the professional ranks with the latter currently playing in Charleston, S.C. after being selected in the first round of the 2016 draft by the New York Yankees.