The major league baseball draft will begin Thursday and University of Maine head coach John Winkin will be anxiously monitoring it.

Two of his top three starting pitchers, righty Mark Ballard and lefty Jason Rajotte, are juniors and are draft eligible. So is first baseman Gabe Duross, who hit .500 in postseason play.

They will be be awaiting word from major league clubs as will departing players center fielder Chad White, catcher Shawn Tobin, shortstop Shanan Knox, pitcher Ronnie Hewes, and left fielder Bill Champi.

If the players aren’t drafted, they could still sign free agent contracts.

“You never know until you get the phone call,” said Rajotte. “I’ve talked to a lot of people but it doesn’t matter.”

He said to get a chance to play pro ball, he’d sign for “anything.”

Ballard said he used to think he’d get drafted “but not anymore. My shoulder injury certainly isn’t going to help.”

He would like to sign, but added, “If I get drafted really, really low, I’ll come back and have a better year at Maine next year. Then again, I may not have as good a year.”

Duross said, “You never know what’s going to happen. They tell you one thing and do another. I’m just going to hope for the best.”

Knox, Tobin, Hewes, Champi, and White would all like to continue their baseball careers, but aren’t sure they’ll get the opportunity.

“I’ve gotten a couple of feelers. All I want is a chance either through the draft or a free-agent contract,” said Knox.

“Money doesn’t matter. I just want to play,” said White. “The thing that could kill me is I have no power.”

“To be honest, I had a bad season,” said Champi. “I’d like a shot, but if it doesn’t happen, I won’t be upset.”

Tobin said after not being drafted last year, he isn’t “holding my breath.”