Blue Jays Draft Irvine First Baseman

Ryan Jones, a first baseman from Irvine High School, was chosen by the Toronto Blue Jays in the second round of the major league free-agent draft Thursday.

Jones, who batted .483 this season with seven home runs and 32 runs batted in, said he wasn’t expecting to go before the third round.

“I’m kind of on cloud nine right now,” Jones said. “When I got the phone call, I was just getting into the car with friends to go to lunch when my mom came running out yelling and screaming. I’m real excited.”

Jones, who graduates June 21, said he probably will report to rookie camp in Florida a couple of days afterward.

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The Boston Red Sox selected Kevin Clark from Cypress College in the fifth round, Cypress Coach Scott Pickler said Thursday.

Clark, a sophomore third baseman who was named Orange Empire Conference player of the year, hit .394 with 10 home runs and 60 RBIs in 46 games for the Chargers. Of his 80 hits, 41 went for extra bases, including a school-record 29 doubles.

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Steve Friedrich, a Fullerton College outfielder, was drafted in the 14th round by the Chicago White Sox.

Friedrich, a graduate of Troy High who played a season at Cal State Fullerton, was a first-team all-Orange Empire Conference selection. He batted .354. As a senior at Troy, he led Orange County in home runs with 10.

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Jason Thompson, an Arizona junior and 1989 Laguna Hills graduate, was drafted in the ninth round by the San Diego Padres.

Thompson, a left-handed hitting first baseman and outfielder, batted .350--during the regular season--and hit 20 home runs.

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Eric Ekdahl, a shortstop at Pepperdine and 1989 Mission Viejo graduate, was drafted in the 17th round by the Philadelphia Phillies. Ekdahl, the Waves’ leading hitter this season, hit the decisive home run in the 3-2 victory over Cal State Fullerton in the championship game of the College World Series last year.

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Matt Stone, a left-handed pitcher from Vista High School in San Diego County who has signed of letter of intent with Cal State Fullerton, was drafted in the eighth round by the Blue Jays.