Aflac All-American Justin Upton Takes Top Spot in the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft

COLUMBUS, Ga., June 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- For the second consecutive year, an Aflac All-American baseball player has been selected as the No. 1 overall draft pick by Major League Baseball. Justin Upton, a shortstop from Chesapeake, Va., was chosen by the Arizona Diamondbacks as the top pick in round one of the 2005 draft.

A senior at Great Bridge High School, Upton was a member of the 2004 Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic. Upton was also named the Aflac National High School Player of the Year in 2004 and was awarded the inaugural Jackie Robinson Award. The award is presented to the player who demonstrates outstanding character, exhibits leadership, and embodies the values of being a student-athlete in both his schoolwork and community affairs.

"Aflac congratulates Justin Upton and all of our Aflac All-Americans on their selection to the major league. We're very proud of their accomplishments and are glad to have played a role in showcasing America's most talented high school baseball players," said Al Johnson, second vice president, Director of Branding and Advertising at Aflac.

Cameron Maybin, another 2004 Aflac All-American alumnus and an OF from TC Roberson High School in Arden, N.C. was also among the top ten players drafted to the major leagues. Maybin was selected by the Detroit Tigers.

In all, the 2004 Aflac All-American Baseball Classic produced 16 players in the first five rounds, including a total of eight players taken in the first round. Other Aflac All-American players drafted by the major league were:

   First Round
   No. 11 - Andrew McCutchen, OF - Pittsburgh Pirates
   No. 16 - Chris Volstad, RHP - Florida Marlins
   No. 17 - CJ Henry, 3B - NY Yankees
   No. 33 - John Drennen, OF - Cleveland Indians
   No. 34 - Ryan Tucker, RHP - Florida Marlins
   No. 41 - Beau Jones, LHP - Atlanta Braves

   Second Round
   No. 57 - Jonathan Egan, C - Boston Red Sox
   No. 71 - PJ Phillips, SS - Los Angeles Angels
   No. 72 - Ralph Henriquez, C - Houston Astros
   No. 77 - Jeff Lyman, RHP - Atlanta Braves

   Third Round
   No. 103 - Sean O'Sullivan, RHP, 3B - Los Angeles Angels

   Fourth Round
   No. 118 - Jeremy Hellickson, RHP - Devil Rays
   No. 129 - Shane Funk, RHP - Rangers

   Fifth Round
   No. 144 - Ryan DeLaughter, RHP, OF - Washington Nationals

The 2004 Major League Baseball Draft saw 10 Aflac All-Americans taken in the first and supplemental rounds, including the No. 1 pick, Matt Bush of the San Diego Padres. Overall, the 2003 inaugural game played at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Fla., featured 31 players selected in the 2004 draft.

Aflac is currently in the midst of the 2005 Aflac All-American tour stop around the nation, announcing the names of the rising seniors who will face off in an East vs. West game on Aug. 13 at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen Md. The game is also a part of Aflac's ongoing commitment to the fight against childhood cancer with all game proceeds benefiting the Division of Pediatric Oncology at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center in Baltimore.

The Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic showcases the nation's top high school baseball players. The annual event is endorsed by many of the game's pillars, including Major League Baseball. Baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr. will serve as the game's honorary chairman for the second consecutive year.

Baseball America and Perfect Game are the official selection partners for the event and choose the players for their accomplishments both on, and off the field, including their involvement in their communities.

Sports America, Inc., is a sports marketing and event management firm based out of Rockville, Md., that created and currently produces the Aflac Classic. Sports America also produces the McDonald's All-American High School Basketball Game and the Jordan Classic High School All-Star Basketball Game.

To learn more about the Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic, or to see dates and stops on the official selection tour, visit http://www.aflacallamerican.com/.

For 50 years, Aflac products have given policyholders the opportunity to direct cash where it is needed most when a life-interrupting medical event causes financial challenges. Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed- renewable insurance in the United States and the number one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force in Japan. Aflac's insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide. In January 2005, Aflac was included in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the seventh consecutive year. Aflac has also been included in both Forbes magazine's Platinum 400 List of America's Best Big Companies and in Fortune magazine's listing of America's Most Admired Companies for five consecutive years. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit aflac.com.