Hamblin Gentry Parker Drafted on First Day of MLB Draft

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas junior first baseman Danny Hamblin, senior center fielder Craig Gentry and junior third baseman Blake Parker were selected on the first day of the Major League Baseball Draft on Tuesday.

Hamblin, a native of Rowlett, Texas, was the first Razorback off the board in the ninth round to the Oakland Athletics. He was taken with the 278th pick after hitting .289 with 17 home runs and 68 RBI in 2006. Hamblin is tied for fourth on Arkansas’ career home run chart with 35 and ranks eighth in career RBI with 159.

Gentry, a Van Buren, Ark., native was selected in the 10th round by the Texas Rangers. He was the 298th pick after leading the Razorbacks with a .326 batting average and 16 stolen bases. Gentry finished his two-year career with the Hogs with 34 stolen bases and a .318 average.

Parker was taken in the 16th round by the Chicago Cubs with the 479th overall pick. He hit .246 as a junior with six home runs and 28 RBI while stealing 10 bases and collecting 10 doubles. Both Hamblin and Parker can return to the Hogs for their senior seasons if they don’t sign a pro contract.

Five Razorback recruits for the 2007 season were also taken on the first day of the draft. Two of those recruits are from Wisconsin with left-handed pitcher Tony Butler from Oak Creek, selected with the 81st overall pick in the third round. Right-handed pitcher R.J. Seidel, a native of LaCrosse native, was picked by the Brewers in the 16th round with the 482nd overall pick.

Tyler Henson, a shortstop from Tuttle, Okla., was taken with the 145th pick of the fifth round by the Baltimore Orioles. Navarro Community College first baseman Chris Davis was chosen three picks later by the Texas Rangers.

Edmond (Okla.) Santa Fe prospect Ty Weeden was selected by Boston Red Sox in the 16th round with the 493rd overall pick.

The second day of the MLB Draft begins with the 19th round on Wednesday.