Lincoln – University of Nebraska left-hander Justin Pekarek (Staplehurst, Neb.) became the first Husker chosen in the 2004 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, as he was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the eighth round (No. 226 overall) on Monday.
Pekarek’s selection marks the sixth straight year that a Husker has been chosen in the first 10 rounds, while his selection marked the 16th pitcher drafted or signed under Pitching Coach Rob Childress in the last seven years, that fact is more remarkable considering that only three of the pitchers were drafted before coming to Nebraska.
"It’s a great feeling," Pekarek said. "I just got off the phone with a scout from the Indians, and I still have goose bumps. It is amazing how everything worked out this year, and I am ready to start with the Indians organization."
"I couldn’t be happier for Justin," Pitching Coach Rob Childress said. "He was our hottest pitcher over the last four weeks of the season. It was great to see Justin rewarded for all the hard work and effort he has put into this program over the last five years. To get picked in the eighth round was a great reward."
A former walk-on, Pekarek earned second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2004, going 8-1 with a 3.16 ERA in 74 innings of work. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder led Nebraska in both strikeouts (75) and wins, as he ranked ninth in the league in ERA. The fifth-year senior set a school record with 33.1 consecutive scoreless innings, as he allowed only two runs in his final eight appearances. Four of his wins came against nationally ranked teams, including a pair of wins over No. 1 Texas.
Pekarek earned the Huskers’ lone win in the Big 12 Tournament, allowing two runs over 6.1 innings in a 5-2 win over the top-ranked Longhorns. He earned Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors in mid-May, highlighted by a career-high nine strikeouts in a win over Creighton at Omaha’s Rosenblatt Stadium.
A first-team Academic All-Big 12 honoree, Pekarek earned his degree in business administration last month.
Pekarek, Justin
Year ERA W-L App GS CG SHO/CBO SV IP H R ER BB SO
2001.... 3.86 0-1 3 1 0 0/1 1 7.0 3 3 3 2 6
2003.... 4.24 2-1 9 2 1 0/2 0 17.0 19 11 8 11 11
2004.... 3.16 8-1 18 11 0 0/2 0 74.0 66 31 26 17 75
TOTAL... 3.40 10-3 30 14 1 0/5 1 98.0 88 45 37 30 92
Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media Relations
