UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (June 13, 2005) - Seniors Michael Milliron (DuBois, Pa.) and Josh Palm (Conneaut Lake, Pa.), and junior Sean Stidfole (New Bloomfield, Pa.) will begin their Minor League Baseball careers the week of June 20th, as all three have signed contracts to continue their respective playing careers in professional baseball. All three former Nittany Lions were selected during last week's annual Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. Stidfole was taken in the 14th round by the Toronto Blue Jays, Palm was selected in the 16th round by the Washington Nationals, and the Colorado Rockies made Milliron a 30th-round draftee. Milliron has already reported to Pasco, Wash., where he will play for the Rockies' Class A Short-season Tri-City Devils in the Northwest League. "My Penn State career turned out pretty good," said Milliron, who was Penn State's starting shortstop the past two seasons. "It was full of good experiences and I think it'll be real useful in playing in the minor leagues having played in the Big Ten. Hopefully I can continue what I did at Penn State and that it will help me move up the ranks in the minor leagues." Milliron led Penn State in hitting with a .354 average this past season to cap a brilliant career. He was a co-leader in runs scored (42), as well as a team leader in hits (73), doubles (14) and stolen bases (15). During his career, Milliron finished third on Penn State's all-time games played list (209), third in at-bats (683), sixth in hits (197), seventh in doubles (36), seventh in runs scored (139) and 10th in stolen bases (29). Milliron was also a three-time Academic all-Big Ten recipient. Palm will report to Winooski, Vermont, on Thursday, where he will play for the Vermont Expos, a Class A Short-season team in the New York-Penn League. "I'm just grateful to have played at such a fine school as Penn State," said Palm, who was a starter and reliever during his four-year career at Penn State. "I got to play in a great league, and I got to play for some great coaches. I think playing at Penn State and in the Big Ten has prepared me greatly for baseball at the next level." Palm, a 6-foot-4, 220 pounder, was taken in the 16th round by the Nationals, formerly known as the Montreal Expos. Palm was previously drafted out of high school in the 42nd round of the 2001 draft by the Baltimore Orioles. He was primarily used as a reliever this past season, wrapping up his Penn State playing career with a 2-2 record with five saves and a 5.45 ERA. He struck out 37 batters in 36.1 innings of work. Stidfole has already reported to Dunedin, Fla., where he is taking part in mini-camps with the Toronto Blue Jays. He has not been given his assignment for the season yet, but he could possibly end up playing for the Auburn Doubledays in the New York-Penn League, which is a Class A Short-season team in Auburn, N.Y. "I had a great time during my three years at Penn State," Stidfole said. "I learned a lot while I was there, and I wouldn't give it back for anything. But I am being given an opportunity to fulfill a life-long dream to play professional baseball, and I am very much looking forward to this. Stidfole, a 6-foot-3, 193 pounder, was drafted in the 14th round, 416th overall, by the Blue Jays. He became Penn State's highest draft pick since Chris Netwall and Rod Perry went in the 13th round of the 2001 draft. He will join former Penn State pitcher, and State College native, Aaron Tressler in the Blue Jays organization. Tressler was drafted last season in the 32nd round. They could possibly play together in Auburn this season. Stidfole was Penn State's normal Friday starter this past season. He finished 6-3 with a 3.89 ERA, and a Big Ten-leading 87 strikeouts in 90.1 innings. He finishes seventh on Penn State's all-time strikeouts list with 204 career strikeouts. Stidfole forfeited his final year of collegiate eligibility by signing the minor league contract. Other former Penn State players in professional baseball include Tressler, pitcher Nate Bump, who won a World Series with the Florida Marlins in 2003, pitcher Clayton Hamilton, who is playing in the San Diego Padres Organization, pitcher Mike Watson, who is currently in the Arizona Diamondbacks system, and pitcher David Aardsmaa, who is playing in the San Francisco Giants organization.
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