Nine Hurricanes Taken On First Day of MLB Draft
June 5, 2001
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – While they were busy packing their bags for the upcoming College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, nine Miami Hurricanes learned late Tuesday afternoon of their selection by teams in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.
Junior outfielder Mike Rodriguez (Cooper City, Fla.) was the first Miami player to go, taken by the Houston Astros in the second round with the 54th selection overall. Rodriguez is hitting .327 this season with five home runs and 36 runs batted in.
Junior right-handed pitcher Chris Sheffield (Richmond, Texas) and junior left-handed hurler Brian Walker (Miami, Fla.) went in the fourth round. Sheffield was the 121st player chosen, going to the Toronto Blue Jays, while Walker was selection number 132 by the New York Mets. Sheffield has posted a 3.35 earned-run average in 45.2 innings of work this season. Walker is 11-1 this season, 25-5 for his career, and has a 4.17 ERA this season along with a team-best 15 runners picked off to his credit.
The fifth round saw senior centerfielder Charlton Jimerson (Hayward, Calif.) go to the Houston Astros with the 146th selection. Jimerson is hitting .299 with eight home runs and 39 RBI in 2001.
Righthanded pitcher Tom Farmer (Crestwood, Ill.) was chosen in the seventh round (207th pick) by the Detroit Tigers. Farmer leads Miami with 13 victories this season, going 13-2 as a starter. He has posted a 3.47 ERA with 72 strikeouts and just 29 walks allowed in 103.2 innings of work.
Junior leftfielder Marcus Nettles (Chicago, Ill.) went in the 11th round (330th pick) to the San Diego Padres while junior catcher Mike DiRosa (Miami, Fla.) was chosen by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 16th round (488th pick). Junior righthanded pitcher Dan Smith (Bonne Terre, Mo.) went in the 17th round (507th) to Detroit. Senior first baseman Kevin Brown (North Fort Myers, Fla.) went in the 19th round (585th pick) to the Atlanta Braves.
The Major League Baseball Amateur Draft continues Wednesday.
No. 1-ranked Miami (49-12) will begin play at the College World Series on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. EDT against the Tennessee Volunteers at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb. The game will be televised on ESPN 2. Additionally, the contest can be heard on radio on UM’s flagship station Sports Radio 560 WQAM, WACC 830 AM Radio Paz (Spanish) and WVUM 90.5 FM (Student).
The other game in Miami’s bracket, Georgia vs. Southern California, will take place at 1:30 p.m. EDT nationally televised on CBS. The College World Series will open on Friday with Stanford and Tulane at 3 p.m. on ESPN. Nebraska and Cal State Fullerton will meet Friday evening at 7 p.m., also on ESPN.
The winner of the Miami/Tennessee and Georgia/USC game will play on Monday at 7 p.m. on ESPN 2. The loser will play Monday at 3 p.m. on ESPN.
