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While the Arizona Wildcats prepared to face Miami in the first of three NCAA playoff games Friday, eight of their players were plucked on the second day of the major-league baseball draft.

Five other locals were selected in the draft, which resumed Friday with the seventh round and ended after the 50th round. Three UA players were selected Thursday — pitchers Ryan Perry and Daniel Schlereth in the first round and outfielder T.J. Steele in the fourth.

Outfielder Jon Gaston was the first selected Friday, going in the seventh round to the Houston Astros. Junior pitcher Eric Berger, who was drafted in the ninth round last year but did not sign, followed in the eighth to the Cleveland Indians. Pitchers Mike Colla (14th round, Pittsburgh Pirates) and David Coulon (15th, Minnesota Twins) were the next two Cats selected.

C.J. Ziegler was drafted in the 16th round by the San Francisco Giants, and Brad Glenn went one round later to the Oakland Athletics.

Pitcher Preston Guilmet was also drafted by the A's, in the 22nd round. The very next draft choice was Colt Sedbrook, by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Seniors Coulon, Sedbrook and Ziegler figure to sign. Sedbrook and Coulon have each been drafted three times in their careers. Ziegler, from Canyon del Oro High School by way of Pima College, was selected in the 37th round by St. Louis last year.

Sabino High School graduate Jake Hanson will likely beat them all to the minor-league field this year. He was selected in the 14th round, No.430 overall, by the Atlanta Braves. He said Friday he plans on signing with the Braves by the end of the weekend, eschewing a scholarship offer from Oklahoma State. Originally, Hanson had thought he would go pro only if drafted in the top 10 rounds.

"They called me in the ninth round and said they were gonna pick me up in the late rounds," Hanson said. "So I just held out and finally got the call.

"They knew that I wanted to sign. They guaranteed me 10th-round money."

Hanson played outfield this season but imagines he will shift to third base when he begins play for the Gulf Coast Braves soon.

That is a far cry from Tucson.

"I'm still taking it in," Hanson said. "I worked hard for it."

A draft selection does not guarantee a player will sign:

● Sabino teammate Justin Zumwalde, selected in the 45th round by the Philadelphia Phillies, said he has "no official decision yet." Phillies scouts will watch him during the summer, Zumwalde said, and he will make a decision afterward about whether to sign or play next season at Pima College.

● Pima College sophomore Jared McDonald, selected in the 40th round by the Chicago Cubs, has a scholarship offer to attend Michigan State next season. He led the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference with a .455 batting average this season and said late Friday night he would "definitely" consider signing instead of going to college.

● Catalina Foothills High School pitcher Kayvon Bahramzadeh was picked by Milwaukee in the 47th round but said he'll "probably end up going to college" at Kansas State next year.

● Another Sabino player, Travis Jones, was drafted in the 50th round by the Kansas City Royals. He said Friday he hasn't "really thought about" whether to sign or attend either Pima or the UA next year.