Klocke not among 12 OVC players taken in MLB draft

Twelve Ohio Valley Conference baseball players were selected on day two of the 2010 major league draft, but Southeast Missouri State All-American catcher Jim Klocke was not among them.

Rounds 2 through 30 were held Tuesday, after the first round and supplemental rounds Monday.

Klocke, who recently completed a record-setting four-year career at Southeast, should have a good chance of being selected today when the draft concludes with rounds 31 through 50.

Klocke was drafted by the Cardinals in the 46th round last year following his junior season but elected to return to school. He went on to earn first-team all-OVC honors for the third straight time and was voted OVC male athlete of the year.

OVC regular-season champion Tennessee Tech and league tournament winner Jacksonville State led the way as both had four players drafted Tuesday.

Jacksonville State outfielder Todd Cunningham was the first OVC player taken, going to the Braves with the third pick of the second round. He was the No. 53 overall selection.

Tennessee Tech hard-throwing relief pitcher Stephen Pryor was drafted by the Mariners in the fifth round, No. 162 overall.

Also taken in the top 10 rounds was Tennessee Tech slugger A.J. Kirby-Jones, who went in the ninth round to the Athletics at No. 275 overall.

Kirby-Jones, who was the Eagles' DH most of the year but projects as a first baseman, tied the OVC single-season home run record with 26.

There were six more picks in the first 20 rounds, led by Morehead State shortstop Drew Lee (12th, 368 overall, White Sox) and Eastern Illinois pitcher Josh Mueller (13th, 410, Rockies).

They were followed by Eastern Kentucky third baseman Jayson Langfels (16th, 500, Rockies), Murray State slugging first baseman Wes Cunningham (17th, 514, Padres), Tennessee Tech outfielder Chad Oberacker (19th, 589, Cardinals) and Jacksonville State outfielder Daniel Adamson (20th, 603, Astros).

Wes Cunningham, the OVC player of the year, set the league's single-season runs batted in record with 86 while hitting 22 home runs. Oberacker led the OVC with a .452 batting average.

Rounding out Tuesday's selections were Tennessee Tech pitcher Adam Liberatore (21st, 641, Rays), Jacksonville State catcher Andrew Edge (24th, 742, Dodgers) and Jacksonville State relief pitcher Alex Jones (27th, 819, Brewers).

Todd Cunningham, Pryor, Kirby-Jones, Mueller, Langfels and Oberacker are all juniors, meaning they have the option of returning to school for their final seasons of eligibility.