MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama baseball catcher Jared Barnes, right-handed pitcher Randy Bell and signee JoJo Booker were each selected on day two of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft Tuesday. 

Barnes, a 2017 first-team all-Sun Belt Conference selection, was taken in the eighth round (239th overall) by the Miami Marlins. He led the Sun Belt Conference in slugging percentage (.768) and on-base percentage (.504) during league games, tied for the league lead in home runs (10), ranked second in total bases (73) and third in batting average (.368) and RBI (32). 

He was named the National Hitter of the Week by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association on May 16, after earning National Player-of-the-Week honors from Collegiate Baseball and SBC Player of the Week on May 15. 

Barnes finished the season ranked second in the SBC in slugging percentage (.605), fourth in home runs (13), tied for fourth in sacrifice flies (5), sixth in RBI (50), 13th in batting average (.320) and 15th in OBP (.416).

"There are only so many baseball players who get to play college baseball alone, much less get the opportunity to play professional baseball," Barnes said. "It's just an unbelievable opportunity to have your name called on a day like today. It didn't matter to me who called my name, I was going to go and help that organization as much as I can. I'm super excited, just like the rest of those kids who have had their names called – they've worked their tails off and I am just excited to get out there and do what I can to help the Miami Marlins. I'm extremely humbled, blessed and grateful to have the opportunity of the Miami Marlins calling my name today."

Bell was selected in the 10th round (303rd overall) by the Seattle Mariners. The right-hander was named to the NCAA Hattiesburg (Miss.) All-Regional Team after tossing a complete game in a 6-3 win over No. 2 seed Mississippi State, and was also named to the SBC All-Tournament Team after allowing one run and striking out eight in 7 2/3 innings pitched in a tournament-opening win over Troy.

"It is definitely a dream come true," Bell said. "I've been working my whole life to be a professional baseball player. A lot of guys start out with that dream and don't get the chance to do it. It's a blessing just to be able to go out there and put on the uniform for the organization and play for them. I wasn't expecting to hear anything until tomorrow (final day of draft). To have the opportunity to be a top-10 round draft pick is something that not a lot of guys get to say, and it's just an honor to be a part of the Mariners organization. I'm excited and ready to go to work for them."

Bell finished the regular season as the SBC leader in strikeouts looking, ranked tied for second in innings pitched (98.1), tied for third in walks allowed and fourth in strikeouts. He closed his Jaguar career with a 7-3 record and 96 strikeouts in 107 1/3 innings pitched in 2017. He went 14-4 with seven complete games, and 156 strikeouts against 41 walks in 195 1/3 innings in his two-year Jaguar career. 

Booker, who signed an NLI to join the Jaguar program for the 2017-18 season out of T.R. Miller High School in Brewton, Ala., was drafted in the fifth round by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim with the 145th overall pick of the draft.

He was a class 3A first-team all-state selection as a pitcher by the Alabama Sports Writers Association this year after helping the Tigers to a second-round playoff appearance before falling to eventual champion Gordo. Booker also earned first-team all-state honors as a junior in 2016 after hitting .413 at the plate and recording a 1.54 ERA with 107 strikeouts on the mound.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Dugout Club, the baseball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. Members enjoy all games from inside the Stadium Club with climate control, private restrooms, private concessions and access to listen to the radio broadcast. All donations to the Dugout Club go directly to support the South Alabama baseball program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/dugoutclub.