Jerry Narron, shown here with Kenny Rogers, hopes to welcome his relative, Sam Narron, to the Rangers fold. (Tim Sharp/AP)

Texas Rangers round-by-round picks

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The way Sam Narron answers with a prompt "yes, sir" and "no, sir" in that familiar southern drawl leaves little doubt that this kid belongs to that famous baseball playing family from Goldsboro, North Carolina.

Narron, a junior left-handed pitcher from East Carolina University, was drafted by the Rangers in the 15th round of the First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday and is the latest phenom in a long line of baseball players in the family.

After all, his father Richard "Rooster" Narron was an All-American at ECU, is in the Pirates Hall of Fame, and played professionally in the New York Mets organization. His grandfather and namesake, Sam Narron, combined to play 24 games with the St. Louis Cardinals during the 1935, 1942 and 1943 seasons.

And yes, he is related to Rangers manager Jerry Narron.

"A lot of people think he's my uncle, but he's not my dad's brother or anything like that," Narron said. "He's my cousin or second cousin. I think his dad and my grandfather were cousins. We're all Narrons, so that's all that matters. He keeps in touch with me when he gets a chance, but he's a busy man."

		JUNE 4-5 | NEW YORK CITY Draft order | Rules | FAQ FULL COVERAGE: • Bullington goes first • Drafttracker • Complete Draft coverage Round-by-round audio Round 1 Rounds 2-5 Rounds 6-10 Rounds 11-15 Rounds 16-20 Rounds 21-22 Rounds 23-27 Rounds 28-32 Rounds 33-37 Rounds 38-42 Rounds 43-50

His play on the field is rivaled only by his success in the classroom. Narron has a 3.75 Grade Point Average as a biology major with a chemistry minor and was named East Carolina's Outstanding Male Scholar Athlete of the Year and the Conference USA Baseball Scholar Athlete of the Year.

He was named to the Verizon Academic All-America Baseball Second Team and works with children's hospital and ALS fundraisers in his spare time.

Narron, who found out about his selection by reading MLB.com's draft coverage, is 21 hours away from graduation. He said academics are a priority in the Narron family because "you can't play baseball forever."

"It's a great honor that's for sure. To get drafted is something special and not everyone can say that," he said. "I'm going to feel it out a little bit because I am very close to graduating and graduating is very important.

At the same time, since I am so close, it would not be hard to come back and get it done."

In the meantime, Narron said he's going to try to get things squared away. Looks like he's off to a good start.

	RANGERS 2002 DRAFT PICKS
	10	DREW E MEYER	SS 2B	U SOUTH CAROLINA
	172	JOHN C BARNETT	RHP	FLORIDA SOUTHERN COL
	202	ANDREW N TISDALE	RHP	CHAPMAN U
	232	CHRISTOPHER S O'RIORDAN	2B	STANFORD U
	262	STEVEN HERCE	RHP	RICE U
	292	NATHAN G GOLD	1B	GONZAGA U
	322	ENRIQUE J BENGOCHEA	RHP	U MIAMI
	352	ERIK M THOMPSON	RHP	PENSACOLA JC
	382	CHRISTOPHER W HAMBLEN	C	U CINCINNATI
	412	CHARLES L BILEZIKJIAN	OF	ST JOHNS U
	442	SAM NARRON	LHP	EAST CAROLINA U
	472	JOSHUA D KREUZER	1B	WEST VALLEY COL
	502	CHRISTOPHER J WILSON	3B	REDLANDS HS
	532	CAMERON B COUGHLAN	2B	BRIGHAM YOUNG U
	562	JESUS M MALDONADO	RHP	MANUEL MEDIAVILLA NEGRON
	592	KAMERON D LOE	RHP	CALIFORNIA ST U
	622	JASON M MANN	C	CENTRAL ALABAMA CC
	652	ROBERT E ANDREWS	RF	RANCHO BUENA VISTA HS
	682	CRAIG D RINGE	SS	CENTRAL MISSOURI ST U
	712	CHAD E DECKER	LHP	VALLEY VIEW HS
	742	JOEL D KIRSTEN	LHP	PIERCE JC
	772	JULIUS M SMITH	LHP	LEWISTON HS
	802	JOHN F MCCARTHY	CF	ST. RITA HS
	832	JACOB TOMPKINS	RHP	LOUISIANA ST U
	862	NICHOLAS R SHIELDS	C	WRIGHT ST U
	892	ROBERT P CORRADO	RHP	U KENTUCKY
	922	MICHAEL P TAMULIONIS	RHP	ST JOHNS U
	952	GARY R HOGAN	RHP	U ARKANSAS
	982	LARRY GRAYSON	CF	MANATEE JC
	1012	CHARLES A FLETCHER	LF	NORTH SPRINGS HS
	1042	KENNETH R POKRYFKE	LHP	WILMOT HS
	1072	FRANS E MEYER	3B	NORTHRIDGE HS
	1102	DION F MCDANIEL	CF	HALES FRANCISCAN HS
	1132	ROBERT M WACHMAN	RHP	MIDDLE GEORGIA COL
	1162	PAUL L SANDOVAL	RHP 3B	TRABUCO HILLS HS
	1192	JARED R GASTON	SS LF	CLEVELAND HS
	1222	ANDREW L MYETTE	RHP	KWANTELEN JC
	1252	JESSE D CHAVEZ	RHP	RIVERSIDE CC
	1281	RONALD R HARRIS	C	GEORGE WASHINGTON HS
	1309	RYAN M MIESZALA	LF RF	GREENWAY HS
	1336	THOMAS R ZIMMERMAN	RHP	WHITNALL HS
	1363	JOSHUA M HERNANDEZ	C 3B	LOS LUNAS
	1389	PAUL I OSEGUERA	LHP	LA COSTA CANYON HS
	1415	STEVEN V FRIEND	SS OF	KISHWAUKEE COL
	1441	BRAD N BURKHEAD	RF	NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI CC
	1465	WILL G PETERSON	CF LF	VALDOSTA HS

Jesse Sanchez covers the Texas Rangers for MLB.com. He can be reached at jsanchez@texasrangers.com.This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.