Roof Signs With Texas

June 13, 2010

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State junior shortstop Jonathan Roof will forgo his final season of eligibility as he signed a contract Saturday with the Texas Rangers.

Roof was drafted in the eighth round (No. 256 overall) of the 2010 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft last Tuesday. He was the highest Spartan drafted since Bob Malek was chosen in the fourth round in 2002.

A native of Paducah, Ky., Roof ranked tied for fifth in the conference in the regular season with 53 runs scored and hit .317 with four homers and 43 RBIs. Roof also collected 72 hits, 16 stolen bases, 13 doubles and owned a .372 on-base percentage.

During the regular season, the slick fielding shortstop led the league in assists (173) and tied for fifth in fielding double plays (43); both of those marks represent school single-season records.

For his efforts in 2010, Roof became the first Spartan since 2006 to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors.

Roof was also selected in the MLB Draft out of high school in the 39th round by the Boston Red Sox.