The Big West Conference had 50 players selected in the two-day Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft with Long Beach State's Shane Peterson being the conference's first player taken, 59th pick in the second round by the St. Louis Cardinals. The league opened the first day with 12 players drafted and followed that up with 38 nabbed in the final day of the 2008 MLB draft.
Peterson, Big West's Co-Player of the Year, was the first of 11 49ers drafted to pace the league. Teammate Bryan Shaw was also selected in the second round (73rd) by the Arizona Diamondbacks and was later accompanied by first-day draftees Danny Espinosa (3rd-87th), 2008 Big West Tri-Pitcher of the Year Andrew Liebel (3rd-95th), Vance Worley (3rd-102nd), David Roberts (4th-141st) and Brett Lorin (5th-162nd).
Cal Poly was second among Big West schools with eight players picked during the 2008 MLB draft. The Mustangs' top picks were Brent Morel, who was selected in the third round (86th overall) to the Chicago White Sox, and Logan Schafer, a third round pick (94th) by the Milwaukee Brewers. UC Davis' seven draftees were paced by catcher and 2008 Big West Co-Player of the Year Jake Jefferies, who was the Aggies' lone first-day selection after being picked up by the Tampa Bay Rays with the 78th pick in the third round. Closer Justin Fitzgerald, going in the 11th round (327th) to the San Francisco Giants, led UC Davis in day two of the draft.
UC Santa Barbara also had seven players drafted, with catcher Chris McMurray (18th-Cincinnati) kick-starting a busy second day for the Gauchos. UC Irvine had six Anteaters selected in this year's draft, including 2008 Big West Tri-Pitcher of the Year Scott Gorgen, going in the fourth round, 125th overall, to the St. Louis Cardinals. Gorgen was followed by UCI career steal leader Ollie Linton (13th-Arizona) and Ben Orloff (19th-Colorado). The 2008 Big West Co-Champions, Cal State Fullerton, had six selections. Erik Komatsu (8th-Milwaukee) led the way for the Titans.
UC Riverside saw four Highlanders selected, while Cal State Northridge had one selection in pitcher Edwin Quirarte, who was picked up by the San Francisco Giants in the fifth round (147th).
Big West Players Selected In 2008 MLB Draft
Shane Peterson, LBSU - St. Louis Cardinals (2nd-59th)
Bryan Shaw, LBSU - Arizona Diamondbacks (2nd-73rd)
Jake Jefferies, UCD - Tampa Bay Rays (3rd-78th)
Brent Morel, CP - Chicago White Sox (3rd-86th)
Danny Espinosa, LBSU - Washington Nationals (3rd-87th)
Logan Schafer, CP - Milwaukee Brewers (3rd-94th)
Andrew Liebel, LBSU - Toronto Blue Jays (3rd-95th)
Vance Worley, LBSU - Philadelphia Phillies (3rd-102nd)
Scott Gorgen , UCI - St. Louis Cardinals (4th-125th)
David Roberts, LBSU - Cleveland Indians (4th-141st)
Edwin Quirarte, CSUN - San Francisco Giants (5th-147th)
Brett Lorin, LBSU - Seattle Mariners (5th-162nd)
Jason Corder, LBSU - Tampa Bay Rays (7th-203rd)
Erik Komatsu, CSF - Milwaukee Brewers (8th-248th)
Kevin Castner, CP - Texas Rangers ( 10th-303rd)
Justin Fitzgerald, UCD - San Francisco Giants (11th -327th)
Jeff Kaplan, CSF - New York Mets (11th-344th)
Ryan Royster, UCD - Seattle Mariners (13th-402nd)
Ollie Linton, UCI - Arizona Diamondbacks (13th-408th)
Bryan Evans, UCD - Florida Marlins (14th-418th)
Derrick Saito, CP - Kansas City Royals (16th-475th)
Robert Waite, UCR - Detroit Tigers (17th-523rd)
Chris McMurray, UCSB - Cincinnati Reds (18th-539th)
Travis Howell, LBSU - Seattle Mariners (18th-552nd)
Nick Vincent, LBSU - San Diego Padres (18th-555th)
Jason Roenicke, UCSB - Toronto Blue Jays (19th-579th)
Ben Orloff, UCI - Colorado Rockies (19th-587th)
Jason Tweedy, LBSU - Tampa Bay Rays (20th -593rd)
Eddie Gamboa, UCD - Baltimore Orioles (21st-626th)
Drew Garcia, UCR - Chicago White Sox ( 21st-630th)
Cory Arbiso, CSF - New York Yankees (22nd-680th)
Bryce Stowell, UCI - Cleveland Indians (22nd-681st)
Chuck Huggins, UCSB - Toronto Blue Jays (23rd-699th)
Adam Jorgenson, CSF - Colorado Rockies (26th-797th)
Michael Zuanich, UCSB - Colorado Rockies (28th-857th)
Stephen Penney, UCR - Seattle Mariners (29th-882nd)
Andy Suiter, UCD - New York Yankees (32nd-980th)
Luke Yoder, CP - Minnesota Twins ( 33rd-996th)
Kyle Brown, UCSB - Seattle Mariners (33rd-1003th)
Patrick Rose, UCSB - Colorado Rockies (36th-1097th)
Brian Grening, CP - Cleveland Indians (38th-1161th)
Joe Scott, CSF - Milwaukee Brewers (41st-1238th)
Aaron Lowenstein, UCI - San Francisco Giants (44th-1317th)
Brad McAtee, UCD - Colorado Rockies (45th-1364th)
Jared Clark, CSF - Los Angeles Angels (45th-1366th)
Brian Gump, UCSB - New York Mets (46th-1389th)
Jared Eskew, CP - Baltimore Orioles (47th-1400th)
Tony Asaro, UCI - St. Louis Cardinals (47th-1409th)
DJ Mauldin, CP - Seattle Mariners (48th-1441th)
Carl Uhl, UCR - Colorado Rockies (49th-1472th)