June 4, 2002
WACO, Texas - Seven Baylor baseball players were selected during the two-day 2002 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, held June 4-5.
Leading the way was senior closer Kyle Edens. The Cincinnati Reds drafted Edens with the third pick of the third round (75th overall), making the senior closer the highest drafted player from a Big 12 Conference school this season.
The Baltimore Orioles snagged the rights junior Mike Huggins in the 13th round. The draft is nothing new to Huggins; the first baseman was selected in the 25th round by the Colorado Rockies a year ago but decided to return to Baylor.
The final Baylor pick in the first day of action was junior Steven White, taken in the 18th round by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Junior Paul Richmond started the action on Day Two, as he was taken in the the 28th round by the Toronto Blue Jays. Fellow junior Paul Thorp followed in the 31st round, selected by the New York Yankees.
Senior Justin Taylor, the team's winningest pitcher in 2002, went in the 38th round to the Kansas City Royals. The Colorado Rockies selected left-handed starter Jared Theodorakos, a junior, in the 49th round.
With seven players drafted, the 2002 club tied the 2000 Baylor club for the most Bears taken in one draft. Two years ago, the June draft included Baylor stars Chad Hawkins, Jace Brewer, Kyle Evans, Jaime Bubela, Anthony Hensley, Preston Underdown and Bryan Loeb.
Last season, the Bears saw five active players plus two signees taken in the two-day draft. Four of the five Baylor student-athletes and two of the three signees eventually signed and entered the world of pro ball.
The following Baylor student-athletes have been selected:
Kyle Edens, RHP 3rd Rnd (75th) Cincinnati Reds
* Mike Huggins, 1B 13th Rnd (376th) Baltimore Orioles
Steven White, RHP 18th Round (529th) Milwaukee Brewers
* Paul Richmond, C/OF 28th Round (836th) Toronto Blue Jays
* Paul Thorp, RHP 31st Round (936th) New York Yankees
* Justin Taylor, RHP 38th Round (1128th) Kansas City Royals
Jared Theodorakos, LHP 49th Round (1440th) Colorado Rockies
* denotes players who have signed pro contracts
For a list of current Bears in the Pros, click here.
