Three USC juniors – and only two commits – picked in MLB draft

Three juniors from the USC baseball team, including one of its top starting pitchers, were taken in the Major League Baseball amateur draft this week.
Solomon Bates, a right-hander, was drafted Tuesday in the eighth round by the San Francisco Giants, using the No. 226 overall pick, followed by outfielder Lars Nootbaar, who was grabbed 17 picks later by the St. Louis Cardinals.
Bates was not the ace on the Trojans’ pitching staff last season. He was used as their Sunday starter after transi