Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2009

Cards sign three of their top five selections in draft

ST. LOUIS -- No. 2 pick Robert Stock, No. 3 pick Joe Kelly and No. 5 pick Ryan Jackson on Wednesday agreed to terms with the St. Louis Cardinals.

All three players were selected in the amateur draft June 9.

Stock was a two-way player with the Southern California. As a catcher, he batted .226 with six home runs and 30 RBIs this season. He batted .263 with 14 home runs and 74 RBI in his three-year Trojans career.

Stock, who also was a pitcher for USC, will begin his professional career at short-season Johnson City (Tenn.) as a catcher.

Kelly, out of California-Riverside, was named Big West Conference Pitcher of the Year as a freshman in 2007.This season, he was 1-1 with a 5.65 ERA in 23 games out of the bullpen.

Playing for perennial powerhouse Miami, shortstop Jackson was regarded as one of college baseball's top defensive players in his three-year career.

After hitting .236 as a freshman in 2007, Jackson earned All-America honors as a sophomore when his average jumped 124 points to .360. The Miami Springs, Fla. native led the 2008 Hurricanes with 19 doubles.

This season, Jackson hit .263 with four homers, 38 runs scored and a .362 on-base percentage. In his three collegiate seasons, Jackson hit .293 with eight homers, 103 RBIs, 115 runs scored and 19 stolen bases.

The Cardinals have yet to come to terms with their No. 1 pick, right-hander Shelby Miller of Brownwood, Texas, or their No. 4 selection, right-hander Joe Bittle of Mississippi.

St. Louis has signed 35 of the 50 players it drafted.

For more on the Cardinals, see Thursday's News-Democrat or visit www.bnd.com.