Cerulo Drafted by Kansas City Royals
Jun 08 | Baseball
PISCATAWAY, NJ – Senior centerfielder Nick Cerulo (Woodbridge, NJ) has been selected in the 26th round, 775th overall, by the Kansas City Royals in the 2004 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Cerulo is the third RU player to get drafted this year, joining Jeff Frazier (Toms River, NJ) and Jack Egbert (Rutherford, NJ), who were drafted by the Detroit Tigers (third round) and Chicago White Sox (13th round), respectively.
A three-year starter in centerfield, Cerulo possesses outstanding athletic ability and five-tool talent. In 2004, he hit .350, setting career highs in batting average, runs (30), doubles (7), triples (5), home runs (5), RBI (29), slugging percentage (.584), walks (19), on-base percentage (.425) and stolen bases (12). He hit .312 in his four-year career with RU, topping .300 in 2002 (.322) and 2004.
Cerulo joins former RU standouts Darren Fenster (1997-00) and David DeJesus (1998-00) in the Royals farm system. Fenster is currently leading the Carolina League in hitting as a member of the Wilmington Blue Rocks, while DeJesus is playing with Omaha after spending nearly three weeks in Kansas City earlier this season.
In addition, RU recruit Todd Frazier, the younger brother of Jeff, was selected
in the 37th round (1100th overall) by the Colorado Rockies following a standout
scholastic career at Toms River South high school.
