▁school ▁by ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁D od gers ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁ ▁draft , ▁but ▁chose ▁to ▁attend ▁college ▁at ▁M t . ▁San ▁Antonio ▁College ▁( W al nut , ▁California ) ▁for ▁a ▁year . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁draft ed ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁round ▁by ▁the ▁C inc inn ati ▁Red s . ▁He ▁signed ▁with ▁the ▁Red s ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁ ▁He ▁pitch ed ▁for ▁three ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁Red s ▁minor ▁league ▁system , ▁making ▁stops ▁at ▁Char l eston ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁Ch att ano oga ▁in ▁ ▁( where ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁Red s ' ▁top ▁prospect ▁by ▁Baseball ▁America ) ▁and ▁Indian apolis ▁in ▁ ▁before ▁getting ▁called ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁Major ▁Le agues ▁during ▁the ▁ ▁season . ▁ ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ▁ ▁C inc inn ati ▁Red s ▁Tom ko ▁made ▁his ▁first ▁Major ▁League ▁appearance , ▁and ▁first ▁Major ▁League ▁start , ▁against ▁the ▁Philadelphia ▁Phill ies ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁He ▁pitch ed ▁ 6 ▁inn ings ▁and ▁gave ▁up ▁ 2 ▁runs ▁while ▁taking ▁the ▁loss ▁in ▁the ▁Red s ▁ 2 - 1 ▁defeat . ▁ ▁He ▁got ▁his ▁first ▁victory ▁in ▁his ▁next ▁start ▁on ▁June ▁ 6 , ▁against ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁M ets . ▁He ▁pitch ed ▁ 6 ▁inn ings ,