June 6, 2006

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COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State shortstop Jedidiah Stephen was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in Major League Baseball's First Year Player Draft, Tuesday. The Second Team All-Big Ten honoree was the 235th overall pick and the ninth pick of the eighth round.

Stephen, a senior co-captain from Caldwell, Ohio (Shenandoah) had 74 hits for the Buckeyes in his third season as a starter. He batted .343 with 19 doubles, three triples and a team-best nine home runs. He drove in 49 runs and had 23 multiple-hit games and 13 multiple-RBI games. Stephen batted .342 in Big Ten play with nine doubles and five home runs. He was a career .304 batter in 206 college games with 195 starts. Stephen ranks among the best in Ohio State history in several career stat categories. He is ranked 10th with 698 career at bats, 17th with 209 hits and is tied for eight with 44 doubles, tied for 11th with eight triples, tied for 14th with 27 home runs and tied for 16th with 144 RBI. Stephen, a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection this year, is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a four-time OSU Scholar-Athlete.

Stephen is the second pick from Ohio State in the 2006 draft. He joins Ronnie Bourquin, who was selected in the second round by the Detroit Tigers. Seven Buckeyes have been drafted in the Top 10 rounds of the draft dating back to the 2002 season. The draft continues through Wednesday.