Chris Paul ’11 and Keaton Jones ’11 were both selected in Major League Baseball’s annual amateur draft held June 8-10, the first Laguna Beach High School alumni selected since 1992. The MBL draft has been held every June since 1965 with over 1,200 players selected each year, but only a handful played for LBHS.
Paul, who just completed his senior year at UC Berkeley, was picked in the sixth round (#170 overall) by the Minnesota Twins. The first baseman was selected first team All-Pac 12 this season and the Bears advanced to NCAA Regionals where they lost in the championship game to Texas A & M.
Jones, the Texas Christian University shortstop, was selected in the 15th round (460 overall) by Detroit. Jones was a second team All-Big 12 selection this season and set the TCU career records for games played, sacrifice hits, and assists. The Horned Frogs won their opening game last Sunday, June 14, in the College World Series and with another win could still be playing this weekend in Omaha. Outside of Cal State Fullerton’s team, Jones is the only other California player at the CWS.
Damon Berryhill ’82 is the highest draft pick ever to come out of Laguna and was selected in the first round of the 1984 draft by the Cubs, the fourth overall selection. Only two Laguna players have ever been drafted as high school seniors: Greg Kessler in 1971 by Oakland (Round 21, 492 overall) and Danny Lane by San Francisco in 1988 (45 round, 1,156 overall). Lane did not sign and attended UC Santa Barbara where he was drafted in 1992 by Montreal (24th round, 659 overall).
