Baseball Sends Record 11 Players Into MLB Draft
June 7, 2001
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Omaha, Neb. (www.hurricanesports.com) — The University of Miami baseball team had a school-record 11 players get drafted in the recent 2001 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The Hurricanes had nine players drafted among the first 20 rounds on the first day and concluded with two more during the second day, which consisted of rounds 21-50. The previous mark of the most players drafted in one season was 10 during the 1996 campaign.
Leading the way for UM was junior outfielder Mike Rodriguez, who was picked in the second round (54th overall) by the Houston Astros. Rodriguez, a 17th round pick by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays out of Cooper City High School in 1998, leads the team with 62 runs scored and is second with 49 stolen bases.
The next pair of Hurricanes were selected in the fourth round as juniors Chris Sheffield (RHP) and Brian Walker (LHP) were picked by the Toronto Blue Jays (121) and the New York Mets (132), respectively. Sheffield, a 28th round pick by the Astros out of Stephen F. Austin High School in Arlington, TX in 1998, recorded a team season-best 11 strikeouts in his start vs. Cornell. Walker, a 44th round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of Westminster Christian in 1998, holds the schools single season (15) and career (26) record for pick-offs.
The Astros with the 146th overall selection then drafted senior Charlton Jimerson in the fifth round. Jimerson was recently named to the 2001 Coral Gables All-Regional Team and was previously drafted by the Astros in the 24th round out of Mt. Eden High School in Hayward, CA.
Senior RHP Tom Farmer went in the seventh round with the No. 207 pick by the Detroit Tigers. Farmer recently assumed the No. 1 slot in the starting rotation and leads the team with 13 victories, which is tied for 10th nationally.
Junior outfielder Marcus Nettles was drafted in the 11th round by the San Diego Padres. Nettles was a 33rd round pick of the Pirates coming out of Whitney Young High School in Chicago, IL in 1998. Nettles is in fourth place nationally with a 0.84 stolen base per game average.
Junior catcher Mike DiRosa was picked in the 16th round (488) by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was originally 21st round pick out of Coral Gables High School in 1998.
Redshirt junior RHP Dan Smith was the fourth UM pitcher selected as the Tigers chose him in the 17th round (507). Smith leads the team with a 0.79 ERA in 11 appearances, with a 5-0 record.
Senior first baseman Kevin Brown closed out the first day of the Draft with his 19th round selection (585) by the Atlanta Braves. Brown was previously drafted twice in the 41st round by the Pirates in 1997 and in the 44th round by the Boston Red Sox in 2000. Brown was recently chosen the Coral Gables Regional Most Outstanding Player after a record-setting performance vs. Stetson in the Regional title game where he slugged three home runs for 10 RBI and 12 total bases.
The second day of the Draft saw two more Hurricanes get picked in junior RHP Troy Roberson (28th round, 831, Texas Rangers) and senior second baseman Kris Clute (37th round, 1,112, Florida Marlins). Roberson had sat out the 2001 season following elbow surgery. He was originally a 32nd round pick of the Baltimore Orioles out of King’s Academy in 1998. Clute, a 31st round by the Astros out of Killian High School in 1997, leads the team with nine sacrifice flies and 17 total sacrifices.
