(Mankato, MN) – The Mankato MoonDogs Baseball Club, a member of the Northwoods League, is proud to announce a number of former and current MoonDogs were selected Friday in the Major League Baseball Draft. As the second day of the MLB Draft began, MoonDogs began being selected early and often with seven players being selected in the first six rounds of day two, twelve selected on the day.

Former MoonDog Johnnie Lowe of Point Loma Nazarene University was the first MoonDog selected in the MLB Draft, taken in the 6th round with the 209th pick by the Chicago White Sox. Lowe was a member of the MoonDogs last season, posting a 3-1 record in seven starts with an impressive 1.10 ERA in 41 innings pitched. The Sea Lion starter posted a 4-5 record with a 3.72 ERA while striking out 75 in eleven starts this season for Point Loma Nazarene.

Just six picks after Lowe, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays selected former MoonDog outfielder and corner infielder Reid Fronk from North Carolina in the 7th round with the 215th pick. In 2005, Fronk had a tremendous season for the MoonDogs, hitting a team-high .333 in 54 games with seven homeruns and 34 RBI. Fronk started all 63 games for the Tar Heels, who find themselves playing in the College World Series coming up this weekend, hitting .327 with a team-high 11 homeruns and 51 RBI.

A little later in the 7th round with the 230th pick the Texas Rangers selected current MoonDog outfielder Tim Smith of Arizona State. Smith was one of the top players in the Northwoods League last season, batting .300 with 3 homeruns and 19 RBI and team-highs in runs (33) and stolen bases (19). Currently, Arizona State just advanced to the College World Series after defeating Ole Miss in the Super Regionals over the weekend. At ASU this season, he is batting .349 with 51 runs, 3 homeruns, and 26 RBI.

The MoonDogs had yet another player taken in the 7th round when the Philadelphia Phillies took former MoonDog pitcher Tyson Brummett of UCLA with the 233rd pick. Brummett played two seasons for the MoonDogs. In 2005, Brummett started 14 games, going 5-3 with a 3.70 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings. In his second stint with the MoonDogs, he started nine games, going 4-4 with an incredible 1.40 ERA and striking out 54 in 64 1/3 innings pitched. In 17 starts for the UCLA Bruins, Brummett is 10-5 with a 3.57 ERA and has a team-high 109 strikeouts in 133 2/3 innings.

To end the spree of MoonDog players taken in the 7th round, the Oakland A’s selected pitcher Lance Sewell of San Diego State with the 240th pick. Sewell played for the MoonDogs in 2005 when he went 0-1 with 18 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings in relief work. For the Aztecs, Sewell started 15 games, posting a 5-6 record with a solid 3.16 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 77 innings.

The MoonDogs had to wait two more rounds before seeing the next former player selected. With the 277th pick in the 9th round, the Chicago Cubs selected outfielder Clark Hardman of Cal St.-Fullerton. Hardman joined the MoonDogs late last season and was injured in his first game in Mankato. For the Titans, Hardman led the team with a .389 batting average and 51 runs scored in 58 games. He also hit 4 homeruns and drove in 44 during the season.

In the 11th round, the San Diego Padres selected former MoonDog and current University of San Diego star Shane Buschini with the 357th pick. Buschini played for the MoonDogs in 2005 and 2006. In 2005, he hit .250 with team-highs in runs (40), homeruns (9), and RBI (47). In 2006, the outfielder hit .220 with 3 homeruns and 15 RBI. The reigning West Coast Conference Player of the Year hit .348 with a team-high 13 homeruns and 58 RBI.

Chandler-Gilbert Community College pitcher Steve Salas was selected in the 22nd round with the 688th pick by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In 2006, Salas started 11 games for the MoonDogs, going 4-5 with a 1.80 ERA and striking out 68 in 80 total innings. For Chandler-Gilbert, Salas threw 77 innings this season, going 7-2 with a 2.10 ERA and 67 strikeouts.

In the 24th round, the New York Mets selected infielder Michael Parker of George Washington University with the 753rd pick. For the MoonDogs in 2006, Parker batted .133 with eight runs and four RBI in 27 games. At George Washington, the third-team All-American batted .373 with 10 homeruns, 60 RBI, and 59 runs scored.

Former Minnesota State University-Mankato pitcher and MoonDog Dane Secott was taken by the Kansas City Royals with the 816th pick in the 27th round. In 2006, Secott started six games for the MoonDogs, going 1-2 with 0.81 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings pitched. At MSU, Secott started 12 games, going 5-3 with a 2.31 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 78 innings. Secott threw five complete games and two shutouts.

In the 31st round, the Oakland A’s took their second former MoonDog with the 959th pick overall, pitcher Fabian Gomez. In 2006, Gomez was 2-4 for the MoonDogs, throwing 40 1/3 innings with a 4.02 ERA and 23 strikeouts. Gomez started ten games this spring for Rockford College, totaling 88 2/3 innings with a 1.93 ERA and an impressive 123 strikeouts to go with five complete game shutouts.

Catcher Travis Howell of Long Beach State was the last MoonDog selected, picked 1282 overall in the 43rd round by the Cleveland Indians. For the MoonDogs in 2005, Howell appeared in 50 games, batting .278 with 22 runs, one homerun, and 18 RBI. At Long Beach State, Howell started 35 games, hitting .283 with 2 homeruns and 24 RBI.