Mets take Barkdoll in 42nd round

June 09, 2005|by MARK KELLER

Graduation day is typically one of the most exciting days in the life of a high school senior.

"Typical" likely would not be the word to describe Jared Barkdoll's graduation day.

Just hours before he was to receive his diploma with the rest of his Greencastle-Antrim High School classmates Wednesday, Barkdoll got word he had been drafted by the New York Mets in the 42nd round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Barkdoll was the only Tri-State area player selected during the two-day draft. He also is the first Greencastle player selected in Chris Sellers' 16 years as the Blue Devils' coach.

"Any time a program has a player drafted, it's a great thing," Sellers said. "I'm really happy for him. He's put in a lot of hard work."

Barkdoll, a catcher and infielder for the Blue Devils, batted .489 with four doubles and 23 RBI in 2005. He has signed a national letter of intent to attend Francis Marion University in Florence, S.C., in the fall.

Though he couldn't say for sure, Sellers said he expects Barkdoll to stay with his original plan of attending FMU. The Patriots' baseball team was ranked nationally in 2005 and made its second Division II national tournament appearance in three years.

"I can't see him giving that up to go out as a 42nd-round pick," Sellers said.

Sellers said there were few scouts who came to see Barkdoll play this season, but his performances during the Pennsylvania legion baseball workouts helped draw some attention.

"If you do well there, you will get some looks," Sellers said. "I didn't know if he would get drafted or not, but I knew he did well in his workouts. I think that's what it all leads back to."

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