June 5, 2008

Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina junior third baseman James Darnell has been selected in the second round of the 2008 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres. Darnell is the No. 69 overall pick and one of three Gamecock players to be selected in the first two rounds of this year’s draft.

A second team All-SEC selection, Darnell hit .306 on the year with 19 HR and 81 RBI. His RBI total is the fourth highest in a single-season by a Gamecock player. He started all 63 games this year at third base for the Gamecocks. Darnell also led the conference in RBI in SEC games with 40 RBI in 30 conference contests.

He twice tied the USC single-game record for home runs with three in a 13-7 win vs. Kentucky on March 29 and in a 13-1 win at the College of Charleston on March 18.

Darnell recorded 41 career homers in a three-year career with the Garnet & Black, tied for ninth on the USC Career List. He also had 19 homers as a sophomore in 2007 when he was a second team All-SEC selection.

Earlier today, the Gamecocks had two first round draft selections with Justin Smoak selected as No. 11 overall by the Texas Rangers and Reese Havens going No. 22 overall to the New York Mets.