UNLV REBELS

June 11, 2009

LAS VEGAS - UNLV baseball student-athletes J.J. Sferra, Chad Nading and Marc Baca were selected in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft on Thursday, marking the 25th consecutive year that at least one Rebel was drafted.

Sferra was the first Rebel taken in the draft, as he was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 31st round with the 922nd pick in the draft, while Nading went to the Texas Rangers in round 37 with the 1,114th pick, and Baca was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 42nd round with the 1,255th selection.

"It is a dream come true," Sferra said. "I am thankful and feel fortunate to have the opportunity to continue to play baseball."

The left-handed hitting Sferra was a spark plug at the top of the Rebel lineup last season, hitting .364 with a team-high 86 hits to go with nine doubles, six triples and 47 runs scored, which earned him a spot on the All-Mountain West Conference first team. The native of Phoenix, Ariz., put together a 28-game hitting streak that was the third-longest in UNLV history, part of a strong senior campaign for Sferra.

Nading is a right-handed relief pitcher who finished up his first season with the Rebels, and he pitched in 16 games, making one start during the 2009 season as a junior. He compiled a 1-2 overall record to go with a 9.43 ERA, striking out 15 hitters in 21 innings of work.

Baca put together a strong three-year career at UNLV, becoming one of the top relievers in the Mountain West Conference. He appeared in a team-high 21 games this season, compiling a 3-1 record and three saves to go with a 4.05 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 33.1 innings of work. Overall the native of Las Vegas, Nev., appeared in 74 games, with a career record of 9-8 to go with nine saves.

Overall the MLB draft began Wednesday night and lasted 50 rounds.