Seven LSU players were chosen today on the second day of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft.
Junior left-handed pitcher Ryan Verdugo was the first Tiger selected, going No. 5 in ninth round (No. 267 overall) to the San Francisco Giants.
Junior first baseman Matt Clark was the second LSU player taken. The San Diego Padres selected the Tigers’ home run leader with the 23rd pick in the 12th round (No. 375 overall).
The next three LSU players drafted were all pitchers: junior right hander Louis Coleman, junior left hander Blake Martin and senior right hander Jared Bradford. The Washington Nationals selected Coleman with the ninth pick in the 14th round (No. 421 overall), and the Minnesota Twins chose Martin with the 14th pick in the 17th round (No. 516 overall). Bradford, the Tigers’ closer, was taken No. 13 in the 18th round (No. 545 overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals. Another of LSU’s three seniors, third baseman Michael Hollander, was next Tiger off the board, chosen No. 11 in the 20th round (No. 603 overall) by the Texas Rangers.
Jordan Brown was taken in the 39th round by the Chicago Cubs.
In addition to the six LSU players chosen Friday, several players from Louisiana and the Southeastern Conference were taken Thursday and Friday.
The first SEC player taken was Vanderbilt junior third baseman Pedro Alvarez. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Alvarez with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1st round Thursday.
Other notable players selected include Tulane junior right-handed pitcher Shooter Hunt and second baseman Anthony Scelfo.
Hunt was the first Louisiana player taken in the draft. The Minnesota Twins picked him with the 31st pick in the first round.
Scelfo was picked in the eighth round by Tampa Bay.
Check back later for updates on LSU players taken in the draft.
—-Contact Jerit Roser at [email protected]