hiː wʌz pɹədʒˈɛktᵻd təbi tˈeɪkən bᵻtwˌiːn ðə sˈɛkənd ænd fˈɪfθ ɹˈaʊndz ʌvðə tˈuː θˈaʊzənd dɹˈæft baɪ bˈeɪsbɔːl ɐmˈɛɹɪkə, bˌʌt sˈaɪnd wɪððə wˈaɪt sˈɑːks æz ɐ nˈɑːndɹˈæftᵻd fɹˈiː ˈeɪdʒənt ɪn mˈeɪ, bᵻfˌoːɹ ðə dɹˈæft wʌz hˈɛld.
He was projected to be taken between the second and fifth rounds of the 2000 draft by Baseball America, but signed with the White Sox as a non-drafted free agent in May, before the draft was held.