Mankato, Minn. – The Mankato MoonDogs saw perhaps their largest crop of former and current players taken in this year’s Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, as eight more ‘Dogs were selected yesterday to bring the total of MoonDogs selected to a whopping 22 players.

Four current MoonDogs were selected, with Bennett Whitmore (Oregon) coming off the board first in the 32nd round to the Seattle Mariners. Whitmore has yet to arrive in Mankato, as the big righty finished up his year at Oregon, pitching in 15 games while accumulating 35 strikeouts in 46.2 innings.

Jacob Petricka (Indiana State) was next, going to the New York Yankees in the 34th round. Petricka was 7-3 with a 4.76 ERA for the Sycamores this spring, and is currently 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA for the MoonDogs. Jimmy Patterson (Central Arizona) was taken just three picks after Petricka, falling to the Boston Red Sox. Patterson, a two-way player, was selected as a pitcher after compiling a 12-2 record with a 1.54 ERA and 117 strikeouts.

The last of the ’09 ‘Dogs to be taken was Chris Murrill (Nicholls State). Murrill was snatched up by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 35th round. Murrill has been the catalyst for the MoonDogs offense thus far, posting a .302 average with 10 RBI, four stolen bases and a home run. This spring he posted a .344 average with 27 stolen bases at Nicholls.

Four other former players were selected, with one final member from the 2008 playoff team being selected. Justin Milo (Vermont) was taken in the 37th round by the Yankees after his junior season with the Catamounts. Milo was a 10-day member of the 2008 squad putting up a .303 average with seven runs and three stolen bases in his nine game stint with the squad.

The final three former MoonDogs were selected were Garrett Claypool (UCLA, 2007), Tom Porter (Elon, 2006-07) and Jason Novak (UCLA, 2006).

Mankato MoonDog 2009 Draft Class (Italics denote day three selection)

8th Round (261st) – LAA – Carlos Ramirez – Arizona State – C – Jr. – 2008
13th Round (398th) – DET – Michael Rockett – UT-San Antonio – OF – Sr. – 2008
13th Round (406th) – MIL – Sean Halton – Lewis & Clark State – RHP – Sr. – 2006
14th Round (418th) – ATL – Cory Harrilchak – Elon – OF – Sr. – 2008
14th Round (440th) – CHC – Daniel Keefe – Tampa – RHP – Sr. – 2007
16th Round (472nd) – WSH – Sean Nicol – San Diego – SS – Sr. – 2007
16th Round (485th) – CLE – Dale Dickerson – Nicholls State – RHP – Sr. – 2008
18th Round (542nd) – KCR – Brendan Lafferty – UCLA – LHP – Sr. – 2008
22nd Round (654th) – SDG – Cody Decker – UCLA – 1B – Sr. – 2007
23rd Round (695th) – CLE – Danny Jimenez – John A. Logan – LHP – Fr. – 2009
23rd Round (707th) – PHI – Evan Porter – Nebraska-Omaha – SS – Sr. – 2007
28th Round (832nd) – WAS – Matt Swynenberg – Black Hawk CC – RHP – 2009
29th Round (875th) – CLE – Xorge Carillo – Central Arizona JC – C – 2009
29th Round (885th) – NYY – Scott Matyas – Minnesota – RHP – Sr. – 2008
32nd Round (953rd) – SEA – Bennett Whitmore – Oregon – RHP – Jr. – 2009
32nd Round (963rd) – OAK – Garrett Claypool – UCLA – RHP – Sr. – 2007
34th Round (1035th) – NYY – Jacob Petricka – Indiana State – RHP – So. – 2009
34th Round (1038th) – BOS – Jimmy Patterson – Central Arizona – LHP – So. – 2009
35th Round (1069th) – TBY – Chris Murrill – Nicholls State – OF – Jr. – 2009
37th Round (1125th) – NYY – Justin Milo – Vermont – OF – Jr. – 2008
40th Round (1194th) – SDP – Tom Porter – Elon – RHP – Sr. – 2006-07
48th Round (1449th) – STL – Jason Novak – UCLA – RHP – Sr. – 2006