JAMAICA, N.Y. - St. John's University senior Pete Graham (Horseheads, N.Y./Wall [N.J.]) was selected in the 22nd round by the Chicago Cubs during Tuesday's Major League Baseball Draft. Following the draft, Red Storm senior shortstop Anthony Sutter (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) signed as a free agent with the New York Yankees.

Graham and Sutter became the fourth and fifth members, respectively, of the 2000 Red Storm baseball team to be selected in the MLB Draft, joining junior Kevin McGerry (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) - fourth round, Oakland Athletics; senior second baseman Matt Galante (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) - 13th round, St. Louis Cardinals, junior Keith Stamler (Vernon, N.J./Vernon Township) - 18th round, Texas Rangers. Kevin Cust (Flemington, N.J./Immaculata), who signed a letter-of-intent to attend St. John's last fall, was taken by the Atlanta Braves in the 11th round (340th pick overall). Graham, who transferred to St. John's from Brookdale (N.J.) Community College, was a two-year starter in right field. In 106 career games, he posted a career batting average of .354 (137-for-387), with 30 doubles, seven triples, 16 home runs, 91 RBI and 52 stolen bases. A solid fielder, Graham had a two-year fielding percentage of nearly 96 percent. This past season, he led the Red Storm in batting with a .377 average and a team-high 16 doubles. Graham was drafted after his first year of community college by the Seattle Mariners, selected in the 44th round.

"I was starting to get a little disappointed after not getting taken during the first day," Graham said, "but I started getting a lot of calls today and to be drafted, it's just a great feeling. All I want is a chance to play ball. This is all I've wanted since I was seven years old." Sutter, meanwhile, sat through both days of the draft waiting for his name to be called with no luck. Then, just after the conclusion of the draft, he received two calls, one of them from the New York Yankees, offering a contract, which he is expected to sign before the end of the week. Also a transfer from Brookdale, Sutter was a key member of the Red Storm infield for two years, appearing mainly at shortstop, but appearing in several games at third base. In 101 games played, Sutter had a career batting average of .298 (113-for-379), with 19 doubles, four doubles, nine home runs and 69 RBI. Sutter will depart on Sunday for a rookie camp in Tampa Bay. He will be down there for nearly two weeks and then be assigned to a Yankees affiiliate in Florida, North Carolina, or the New York-based team on Staten Island.