Drafted by Cleveland in first round (No. 22 overall) in 2002 ... Signed through 2006 with a club option for 2007.

Was team MVP in baseball, basketball and football as a senior at Ashland (OR) High School ... Drafted by the New York Mets in 1997, but enrolled at Brigham Young University instead ... Did not play baseball in 1999-2000 as he was on a Mormon mission in Spain ... Transferred to Stanford in 2001 and went 13-4 as a sophomore ... Drafted by Pittsburgh in the third round in 2001, but returned to Stanford, where he went 13-2 with a 2.51 ERA as a junior to help the Cardinal into the College World Series.

Did not pitch professionally in 2002 after being drafted ... Began pro career with a bang in 2003, going 6-2 with a 1.44 ERA at Class AA Akron ... Promoted to AAA Buffalo, he struggled to a 4-9 record with a 6.52 ERA, though he went 2-1 with a 4.91 ERA over his final five starts.