Lincoln – Nebraska junior outfielder Ryan Boldt was selected in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night, the No. 53 overall pick in the Draft. Boldt is the highest drafted Husker since 2006 when Joba Chamberlain was a first-round pick by the New York Yankees. The Huskers have now had at least one player picked in the draft for 38th straight years.

Boldt’s selection marks the second straight year a Husker has been taken in the top 10 rounds of the MLB Draft after Tanner Lubach was taken in the ninth round by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim last year. The last time Nebraska had players taken in the top 10 rounds in consecutive years was 2010 and 2011, when Michael Mariot was an eighth-round pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2010 and Cody Asche was taken in the fourth round of the 2011 Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies.

A two time Academic All-American, Boldt was named to both the 2016 Golden Spikes Award Preseason and Midseason Watch Lists. The Red Wing, Minn., native ended his junior season with 223 career hits, which is tied for 23^rd all-time at Nebraska. Earlier this season he became just the 24^th player in school history to record 200 career hits and is just the 15^th player to do it in three seasons or less.

In three seasons as a Huskers, Boldt hit .313 with 33 doubles, 10 triples, eight home runs and 82 RBIs. Boldt also stole 36 bases, including 20 this year, and scored 140 runs. A consistent hitter since his freshman season in 2014, Boldt produced 74 hits as a freshman, 75 as a sophomore and 74 in 2016.

Thursday marks the second time Boldt has been drafted, as he was a 22^nd-round pick of the Boston Red Sox out of high school, but turned down pro baseball to become a Husker.