Nationals select Sferra to lead off third day of draft

As a senior center fielder, J.J. Sferra batted leadoff for UNLV. On the third day of the major league draft, he filled the same role.

Sferra was the first player picked Thursday, going in the 31st round to the Washington Nationals.

"I woke up and went on the computer about two minutes before the draft started at 8:30. I heard my name pop up, and it kind of stunned me," he said. "I was pretty excited."

Sferra's selection marked the 25th consecutive year the Rebels had at least one player drafted.

Two UNLV pitchers also were picked. Chad Nading, a 6-foot-6-inch sophomore right-hander, went to the Texas Rangers in the 37th round, and senior right-hander Marc Baca, from Sierra Vista High, was a 42nd-round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 5-10 Sferra was one of 12 players with Las Vegas ties to go in the 50-round draft.

Five local players were selected Wednesday, when rounds four through 30 were held. Bishop Gorman High first baseman Jeff Malm went the highest as a fifth-round pick by the Tampa Bay Rays.

Sferra, the 922nd player selected, played two years for the Rebels after transferring from Arizona State. He batted .364 this season and had a 28-game hitting streak that ended in late April.

"I talked to a few teams before the draft, but not too many," Sferra said. "I kind of had a feeling I would get picked up somewhere. I was hoping and praying it would be somewhere in the 50 rounds. But there's always that doubt that you might not get picked up."

Sferra said he reports Monday to the Vermont Lake Monsters, a Single-A team in the short-season New York-Penn League.

UNLV senior outfielder Ryan Thornton was projected to go in the draft but did not get called. Thornton said he's waiting for a free-agent offer.

San Diego State senior right-hander Jon Berger, a Bishop Gorman graduate who pitched for two seasons at the College of Southern Nevada, was selected in the 33rd round by the San Diego Padres.

Aztecs junior right-hander Tyler Lavigne, from Centennial High and CSN, went in the 50th round to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Lavigne (8-2, 3.05 ERA) and Berger (4-5, 5.83) got the attention of scouts this season while they pitched in the same rotation with No. 1 overall pick Stephen Strasburg.

The Los Angeles Angels took Gorman third baseman R.J. Santigate with the last pick of the 44th round.

CSN outfielder Trevor Kirk, a freshman from Silverado, went in the 47th round to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.