June 10, 2008

Cullowhee, N.C. - Former Catamount infielder and current Clinton (Iowa) LumberKings third baseman Jonathan Greene has been selected as a reserve for the West Division squad for the 2008 Midwest League All-Star game the organization announced this week.

Greene was one of nine LumberKings, which are the Class A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, named to the honorary squad which will take to the Dow Diamond in Midland, Michigan on June 17. The nine All-Stars are one better than the franchise record for a Clinton club, set last year when the 2007 LumberKings had eight All-Star representatives.

A native of Boone, N.C., Greene was selected in the eighth round with the 260th overall pick by the Texas Rangers as a catcher in the 2007 Major League Baseball draft. After choosing to forego his senior year in Cullowhee, he spent the end of last summer with the Spokane (Wash.) Indians in rookie ball where he hit .248 with 12 doubles, triple and 11 home runs. He was also named a post-season, All-Star in the Northwest League in 2007.

Thus far this season in Clinton, Greene is hitting .246 with 10 doubles, two triples and seven home runs with 38 RBI.

Greene was a utility player for WCU during his senior season in `07, spending most of the time in left field despite being tabbed preseason All-SoCon at third base. He earned first team All-Southern Conference accolades from the voting media in the outfield, also playing first, third, designated hitter and behind the plate. He hit .331 with 14 home runs and 57 RBI for the regular season co-champion Catamounts.

Greene was the 14th different Catamount to be selected in the eighth round or better since 1967, and the highest draft pick since Ryan Basner in the seventh round (217th overall pick) back in 2003. WCU's highest pick ever was Rick Adair in 1979 as he was drafted with the 53rd pick in the third round by the Seattle Mariners.

Former Catamount catcher Blake Murphy and pitcher Tyler Sexton reported to the Sunshine State this week just days after being taken in the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. The duo reported for physicals, contract signings and a mini-camp earlier this week.

Both are scheduled to learn their respective destinations for summer rookie-league play this weekend.

Sexton, taken in the 31st round by the Baltimore Orioles, traversed to Sarasota, Fla., on Monday while Murphy, a 42nd rounder with the St. Louis Cardinals, went to Jupiter, Fla. Both worked through separate camp sessions, throwing in the bullpen and taking batting practice, respectively.