Six Huskers picked on day two of MLB draft

LINCOLN  --  Friday was a busy day for six Nebraska baseball players as Cornhuskers Dan Jennings, Johnny Dorn, Jake Opitz, Thad Weber, Mitch Abeita and Zach Herr were all selected in the second and final day of the Major League Baseball draft.

A total of seven players were drafted from a Nebraska team that finished 41-16-1 this past season and earned the right to host one of 16 regionals in the NCAA Tournament. Right-handed pitcher Aaron Pribanic was taken by the Seattle Mariners in the third round (No. 98 overall) on Thursday.

Dorn was selected by the Florida Marlins in the 15th round (No. 448 overall). The Cornhuskers' senior from Grand Island wrapped up one of the most decorated pitching careers in 2008, finishing his four-year career with a 37-10 record.

Earlier Friday, Jennings became the second Husker taken in the 2008 MLB Player Draft, as he was selected in the ninth round by the Florida Marlins (No. 168 overall).  It was the first time that Jennings has been picked in the MLB Draft.

Jennings developed into one of the Huskers' most valuable pitchers in 2008, going 6-3 with four saves and a 3.39 ERA in 23 appearances. The left-hander struck out 75 in 77 innings and ranked among the Big 12 leaders in ERA (seventh), opponent batting average (.227, eighth) and saves (four, 10th).

An honorable-mention All-Big 12 selection, Jennings had a stretch of 30 1/3 consecutive shutout innings this season, the second-longest streak in school history. Jennings has pitched three seasons at Nebraska, compiling a 7-3 record and a 3.66 ERA in 43 career appearances, allowing just 94 hits in 105 2/3 innings.

Opitz became third Husker selected when he was taken by the Chicago Cubs in the 12th round (No. 371 overall). The senior second baseman improved his status 27 rounds after originally being drafted in the 39th round by the Seattle Mariners coming out of high school in 2004.

Opitz was a four-year starter at second base for the Huskers, helping Nebraska to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including the 2005 College World Series. Opitz finished his career on NU's top-10 list in games played (225, seventh) and assists (569, fourth).

Opitz put together his best season as a senior, hitting .339 with 11 homers and 50 RBIs. He collected first-team All-Big 12 honors after leading the Huskers in all three triple crown categories, as well as runs scored (51), multi-hit (22) and multi-RBI (16) games.

The Colorado native became the first Husker second baseman to earn first-team all-conference honors since 1972. Opitz closed his career on a 14-game hitting streak, hitting .421 with five homers and 11 RBIs, as he earned Big 12 and NCAA Regional all-tournament team accolades.

Weber was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 16th round (No. 493 overall). It marked the second time Weber has been drafted in his career. He was also a 35th-round selection by the Philadelphia Phillies following the 2007 season.

Weber earned second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2008, posting a 9-5 record in 15 appearances, fanning 72 and walking only 28 over 79 innings of work. In his first year in the weekend rotation, he ranked third in the Big 12 in wins, complete games (two) and shutouts (one).

Weber went 6-2 with a 4.56 ERA in nine conference starts. Weber's best performance came against Texas, when he spun a two-hit shutout of the Longhorns in Austin, Texas. It was one of six series-clinching wins for Weber during the 2008 season.

Weber, a second-team academic All-Big 12 pick in 2008, received his undergraduate degree in May and was a finalist for Nebraska's Male Student-Athlete of the Year in 2008.

Abeita was selected by the New York Yankees in the 19th round (No. 590 overall). A two-year starter at catcher, Abeita earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2008, hitting .337 with 10 homers and 49 RBIs. He was among the Big 12 leaders in on-base percentage (.471, third) and walks (43, fourth), while ranking second on the squad in homers, RBIs and batting average.

A semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award, Abeita reached safely via hit or walk in 54 of 56 games while his 10 homers were the most by a catcher since All-American Jed Morris. Abeita totaled 18 multi-hit games on the year and hit .400 with three RBIs during the NCAA Lincoln Regional last weekend.

Herr was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 38th round (No. 1,155 overall). The junior left-hander has been a vital part of the Husker bullpen the past three years, making 74 career appearances to rank fourth all-time at NU.

This season past season, Herr made a team-high 28 appearances, going 3-0 with five saves and a 4.24 ERA. He struck out 49 and walked just 13 over 34 innings, as he finished sixth in the league in saves and fifth in appearances. Herr has made at least 20 appearances in each of his first three seasons as a Husker, compiling a 5-3 record and seven saves over 71 career innings.

In other Nebraska draft-related news, Cornhusker football recruit Khiry Cooper was selected in the fifth round of the draft Thursday by the Los Angeles Angels. According to numerous media reports, the wide receiver prospect's future with the NU football team is now uncertain as he could be considering a professional baseball career.