Huskers in Pro Baseball Update

Lincoln -- Several former Huskers are enjoying professional success as the second half of the major league baseball season gets underway Thursday. Currently, 19 former Huskers are active in professional baseball, while five members of the 2003 squad have embarked on professional careers. Three former Huskers, Darin Erstad (Anaheim), Ken Harvey (Kansas City) and Troy Brohawn (Los Angeles), are currently in the major leagues entering the second half of the season, while Jamal Strong (Seattle) and Todd Sears (Minnesota) are at the Triple A level.

Harvey, a former All-American first baseman at NU, has played a big role in the surprising first half by the Kansas City Royals, who are 51-41 and have a seven-game lead on the Chicago White Sox. The rookie first baseman/designated hitter is batting .266 with nine homers and 43 RBIs, ranking fourth among American League Rookies in hits (75), homers and RBIs. Harvey, who led the NCAA with a .478 average in his final year at NU, has proven to be a clutch hitter for the Royals, batting .318 with runners in scoring position and has eight game-winning RBIs.

Erstad missed a good portion of the first half with an injured hamstring and returned to action for the defending World Series Champions on June 9. He is hitting .272 with three homers, 15 RBIs and seven stolen bases. He hit safely in 11 of his final 16 contests before the all-star break. Sears was called up by Minnesota in late April and batted .278 with a pair of homers and 11 RBIs. His best performance as a Twin came on May 9, when he went 2-for-4 with a homer, the first of his career, and a career-high four RBIs in a win over Boston and Red Sox All-Star Pedro Martinez. Brohawn began the year in AAA, but was called up to the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 8. He enjoyed a strong first month with the Dodgers, going 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA in 12 appearances before going on the disabled list with tendinitis on May 13.

Among this year's class of professional rookies, pitcher Jason Burch has made an immediate impact, recording eight saves and a 1.38 ERA in 12 contests for the Johnson City Cardinals. Burch, who has 17 strikeouts and has not walked a batter, has allowed just nine hits in his 13 innings of work.

A full list of Huskers currently in professional baseball is listed below, and click on the player's name for current statistics.

Player

Team (Organization)

Level

Pos

At Nebraska

Darin Erstad

Anaheim Angels

Majors

OF

1993-1995

Ken Harvey

Kansas City Royals

Majors

1B

1997-1999

Troy Brohawn

Los Angeles Dodgers

Majors

LHP

1992-1994

Todd Sears

Minnesota Twins

Majors

INF

1995-1997

Jamal Strong

Tacoma Rainers (Seattle)

AAA

OF

1999-2000

Shane Komine

Midland (Oakland)

AA

RHP

1999-2002

Dan Johnson

Midland (Oakland)

AA

1B

2000-2001

Adam Shabala

Norwich (San Francisco)

AA

OF

1999-2000

R.D. Spiehs

Norwich (San Francisco)

AA

RHP

1999-2000

Justin Cowan

Wilmington (Kansas City)

A

C

1999-2000

Brian Rodaway

Salem (Houston)

A

LHP

1998-2001

Jed Morris

Modesto (Oakland)

A

C

2000-2002

Adam Stern

Myrtle Beach (Atlanta) - injured

A

OF

1999-2001

Matt Hopper

Lakewood Bluecraws (Philadelphia)

A

1B

2000-2003

Waylon Byers

Greensboro (Florida)

A

LHP

1998-2002

Drew Anderson

Helena Brewers (Milwaukee)

A

OF

2001-2003

Jason Burch Johnson City Cardinals (St. Louis) A RHP 2001-2003Aaron Marsden Tri-Ciry Dust Devils (Colorado) A LHP 2002-2003 Jeff Leise Eugene Emeralds (San Diego)  A  OF 2000-2003