VILLANOVA, Pa. - Left-handed pitcher Woody Bryson (Cambridge, Mass.) has signed a contract with the New York Yankees as a non-drafted free agent. The signing was first reported on Wednesday morning. Bryson just completed his junior season at Villanova and becomes the latest in a steady line of Wildcats who have gone on to the professional ranks.

During the 2016 collegiate season, Bryson made a team-high 26 appearances and was 4-3 with three saves and a 3.35 ERA spanning 40 1/3 innings. He gave Villanova a consistent and dependable option at the back end of the bullpen and held opponents to a .220 batting average for the season while averaging 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings. He allowed just 33 hits, including one home run, to 174 batters faced.

Bryson logged at least two innings in 10 of his relief appearances in 2016, including three outings of three innings or longer. In extra-inning marathons against Boston College and Florida State, teams that would each advance to Super Regionals in the NCAA Tournament, Bryson pitched a combined five scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out six. He also pitched three perfect innings and had three strikeouts to earn a win over NYIT, and had saves in consecutive appearances versus Penn and St. Bonaventure.

In 41 career appearances for the Wildcats, Bryson went 5-3 with three saves and a 3.66 ERA. He allowed 59 hits while striking out 63 in 59.0 innings of work, and held the 267 batters he faced to a .259 batting average and just two home runs.

Bryson will be one of five former Villanova players active in the professional ranks. The list is headlined by Chicago Cubs outfielder Matt Szczur, and also includes minor league pitchers Max Almonte (St. Louis Cardinals), Kyle McMyne (Cincinnati Reds) and Pat Young (San Francisco Giants).