Lemmerman Drafted in 5th Round by Los Angeles Dodgers

DURHAM, N.C. - Duke shortstop Jake Lemmerman was drafted in the fifth round by the Los Angeles Dodgers and was one of three Blue Devils drafted on day two of the 2010 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft.

Joining Lemmerman on the draft board were senior left-handed pitcher Christopher Manno, who went in the 26th round to the Washington Nationals, and senior utility player Jeremy Gould, who followed in the 28th round to the New York Mets. Lemmerman and Gould became the 11th and 12th players to be drafted in five seasons under head coach Sean McNally while Manno was drafted for the second straight year by Washington.

Lemmerman is the highest player drafted player under McNally and the sixth highest draft pick in Duke baseball history. A 6-2, 190-pound junior, Lemmerman led Duke in eight offensive categories in 2010, including batting average (.335), hits (73), home runs (11), RBI (45) slugging percentage (.569), walks (28) and on base percentage (.418). He was also the ACC's top defensive shortstop with a .987 fielding percentage after making just three errors in 227 chances.

As the 172nd overall pick in 2010, Lemmerman is Duke's highest drafted player since 2002 when Duke first baseman Larry Broadway was taken 77th overall and infielder Kevin Kelly was taken 157th overall. Lemmerman was the fifth overall selection by the Dodgers and the first infielder that the organization selected. A native of Newport Beach, Calif. (Corona Del Mar) and an Academic All-District III selection this season, Lemmerman is the second highest drafted shortstop in school history behind former Blue Devil standout Vaughn Schill, who went in the fourth round of the 1999 draft.

Manno was drafted by Washington for the second straight year after the Nationals called his name in the 38th round of the 2009 MLB Draft. A 6-2, 165-pound left-hander, Manno has been one of Duke's top arms over the past three seasons. After averaging a school-record 12.27 strikeouts per game as a sophomore, Manno went on to become the 11th pitcher in school history to strike out 200 batters. In 50 career appearances, Manno amassed a 13-9 record and 217 strikeouts in 188.1 innings to rank tied for 10th on Duke's all-time strikeout list alongside 11-year MLB veteran Mike Trombley.

Gould was selected as a left-handed pitcher with the 842nd overall pick by the New York Mets. A 6-4, 220-pound first baseman who also split time in left field and on the mound, Gould posted a .330 career batting average and hit .317 or better in each of his final three seasons. He knocked 248 hits during his four-year career to rank 12th on Duke's career hits list and 11th on the all-time batting average list. Gould saw limited action on the mound as a senior, finishing with a 4.76 ERA, four strikeouts and one walk in five innings over seven relief appearances.

The final day of the 2010 MLB Draft takes place on Wednesday, June 9. To view up-to-date draft picks, visit MLB.com's Draft Central page at http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2010/.

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