Toronto Blue Jays Select Cowley College's Melendez

Cowley College sophomore Ronnie Melendez has been drafted a second time by a Major League Baseball team.

Melendez, a sophomore at the Arkansas City,Kansas two year college, was first drafted in the 50th round by the Texas Rangers following his freshman season. He opted to stay in school.

This week he was taken in the 24th round of the baseball draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Melendez finished his first year at Cowley with a batting average of .367, four homers, 14 doubles, 38 runs batted in, 18 stolen bases, and 51 runs scored in 59 games.

"Ronnie had a good career here and moved way up the draft board," Cowley head coach Dave Burroughs said in a press release. "We are excited and happy for him."

After being named a Second-Team All-Conference performer as a freshman, Melendez earned First-Team All-Conference honors as a sophomore. This past season, Melendez batted .361 with a team-leading 65 runs scored in 48 games. He finished the year with 14 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 33 RBIs, and was successful on 21 of 22 stolen base attempts. He also led the Tiger outfielders with six outfield assists.

Melendez helped the Tigers go 87-31 during his two seasons at the school, and was a part of the 2009 Jayhawk East championship team, which advanced to the JUCO World Series.

Other former Cowley Tigers that have made the major leagues include, Travis Hafner, Rusty Ryal, Dustin Richardson, former big leaguer Junior Spivey.

Other Cowley players taken in recent baseball drafts include Tyler Fleming, Texas Rangers; Kyle Thornton, who most recently played with the Louiseville Cardinals; Michael Dabbs, Philadelphia Phillies; Matt Peck, Milwaukee Brewers but now plays for Oklahoma State University; Kent Williamson, now of New Mexico State; Hunter Harrigan, Texas Rangers, and Deik Scram, Detroit Tigers.

Other prospects drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays this year include the son of former major leaguer Dickie Thon, and Kellen Sweeney, brother of Oakland's Ryan Sweeny.

Also, Griffin Murphy, Justin Nicolino, Christopher Hawkins, Marcus Knecht, Sam Dyson, Sean Nolin, Mitchell Taylor, Logan Ehlers, Brandon Mims, Tyler Shreve, Shane Opitz, Omar Cotto, Tyler Painton, Dayton Marze, Zak Adams, Dalton Pompey, Myles Jaye, Kris Bryant, Travis Garrett, Arthur Charles, Christopher Marlowe, Aaron Westlake, Angel Gomez, Brando Tessar, Jay Johnson, Eric Arce, Adaric Kelly, Jonathan Jones, and Stephen McQuall.