June 9, 2010
Clemson, S.C. – Junior catcher John Nester was drafted in the 39th round (#1175 overall pick) by the Oakland Athletics on the final day of the Major League draft on Wednesday. Nester was the sixth and final Tiger to be selected in the 2010 Major League draft. With the six selections, Jack Leggett has had a total of 84 players drafted in his 17 seasons as head coach at Clemson. Fifteen of those 84 players were drafted twice, meaning a Tiger has been drafted 99 times in his tenure. Thirteen more Tigers have signed free-agent contracts as well.
Junior outfielder and first-baseman Kyle Parker was a first-round draft selection (#26 overall pick) of the Colorado Rockies on Monday, becoming Clemson’s first first-round draft pick since 2007 when lefthander Daniel Moskos was picked #4 overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Parker is also the 14th first-round draft pick in Tiger history.
On day-two of the draft on Tuesday, senior second-baseman Mike Freeman was picked in the 11th round (#331 overall pick) by the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was the third time Freeman was taken in the Major League draft, as he was also selected in 2006 and 2009. Fellow infielder and sophomore John Hinson was taken in the 13th round (#411 overall pick) by the Philadelphia Phillies, junior outfielder Jeff Schaus was picked in the 27th round (#810 overall pick) by the Cleveland Indians, and junior lefthander Casey Harman was chosen in the 29th round (#880 overall pick) by the Chicago Cubs.
2010 Tiger Draftees
# | Player, Pos. | Cl. | Rd | Pick | Team |
11 | Kyle Parker, OF/1B | Jr. | 1 | 26 | Rockies |
5 | Mike Freeman, 2B | Sr. | 11 | 331 | Diamondbacks |
4 | John Hinson, INF | *So. | 13 | 411 | Phillies |
3 | Jeff Schaus, OF | Jr. | 27 | 810 | Indians |
36 | Casey Harman, LHP | Jr. | 29 | 880 | Cubs |
17 | John Nester, C | Jr. | 39 | 1175 | Athletics |
* – spent one season as a red-shirt player