Six Huskers Selected in First Day of MLB Draft

Lincoln -- Six University of Nebraska Husker baseball players were selected during the first day of the MLB First-Year Player Draft conducted Tuesday afternoon. The six selections through the first 19 rounds equaled Nebraska total for the entire draft last season, a total which was the most since 1986.

Junior outfielder Adam Stern (London, Ontario) was the first Husker selected, as he was chosen by the Atlanta Braves in the third round, No. 105 overall. A two-year starter, Stern enters this week's College World Series with a .297 average with five homers and 45 RBIs, while also stealing 27 bases this season. His selection marked the highest selection of a NU player since Todd Sears was chosen in the third round of the 1997 draft and the highest by an NU outfielder since Darin Erstad was tabbed No. 1 overall in the 1995 Draft.

John Cole became the second Husker to hear his name called, as he was selected in the fifth round by Seattle Mariners. A third-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, the Ottawa, Ontario, native also tabbed a first-team Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-American on Tuesday. On the season, Cole leads the Huskers with a .417 batting average and has a team-high 28 stolen bases entering this week's CWS. The junior second baseman/outfielder ranks on the NU career top-10 lists in both hits and stolen bases.

Senior first baseman Dan Johnson became the first of two Husker seniors selected, as he was chosen by the Oakland Athletics in the seventh round. The Coon Rapids, Minn., native leads NU and the Big 12 in homers (24), RBIs (85), slugging percentage (.748), on-base percentage (.509) and walks (62), while batting .360 through 60 contests. Johnson, a 2001 first-team All-American by Baseball Weekly, ranks in the top five nationally in both homers and RBIs.

Relief specialist Thom Ott earned NU's fourth top-10 round selection, as the Milton, Fla., native was chosen by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 10th round. NU's single-season (11) and career (17) saves leader, enters the CWS with a 5-2 record and a 4.09 ERA in 28 appearances this season. A first-team All-Big 12 selection this season, the junior right-hander led the league in saves and is holding opponents to a .226 average.

Left-hander Brian Rodaway became the second Husker pitcher chosen, as he was tabbed by the Houston Astros in the 16th round. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound senior is 4-2 with a 5.37 earned-run average in 16 appearances this season. The Lincoln native has walked just 10 hitters in 57 innings of work this season, while seeing time in the bullpen and in the rotation.

Two-time All-American Shane Komine became the sixth and final Husker chosen on the first day, going to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 19th round. Komine, who holds both single-season (14) and career (31) victory records, is 14-1 with a 3.27 ERA this season, striking out 148 hitters in 123.2 innings of work. The Big 12 Pitcher of the year the past two seasons, Komine is 31-7 with a 2.95 ERA during his NU career. This season, Komine, a junior from Honolulu, has won his last 14 decisions and has six complete-games, including a three-hit shutout of Rice in the NCAA Super Regional last weekend.

The draft, which is scheduled for 50 rounds, will conclude Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. (CDT).