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SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Four of the seven Cal Poly baseball players selected in the 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft last week have signed professional contracts.

Shortstop Kyle Smith, outfielder Ryan Lee and pitchers Eric Massingham and Jared Eskew will begin their professional careers in the next seven days.

Smith, a 14th-round draft choice of the Cleveland Indians, will play for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in the New York-Penn League. Mahoning Valley plays Jamestown on Friday night in Niles, Ohio.

Lee, chosen in the 41st round by the Chicago White Sox, has been assigned to the Bristol Sox in Bristol, Virginia. Bristol, which competes in the Appalachian League, opens its season Tuesday at home against Greenville.

Massingham, selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 25th round last week, will pitch for the Williamsport Crosscutters in the New York-Penn League. Williamsport plays Friday at State College in Pennsylvania.

Eskew, a 29th-round pick by the Florida Marlins, has been assigned to Jupiter in the Gulf Coast League (Florida). Jupiter opens its season against the Cardinals next Tuesday.

Three other Mustangs drafted last week have yet to sign. They are junior second baseman Adam Buschini (fourth round, Philadelphia Phillies), junior right-handed pitcher Kevin Castner (26th round, Texas Rangers) and sophomore designated hitter D.J. Gentile (43rd round, Cleveland Indians).

Smith hit .332 with 16 doubles, two triples and five home runs, driving in 41 runs for the Mustangs in 2009. A Brooks Wallace Award candidate, Smith had an eight-game hitting streak early in the season and hit safely in 37 of his last 46 games.

Lee broke Cal Poly’s hitting streak record on April 19 when he singled leading off the fourth inning against UC Davis, extending his streak to 26 games. Brandon Roberts held the old mark of 25 games set in 2004. Lee was 47-for-123 (.382) during the streak to lift his batting average 26 points, started all 58 games in center field this year and sported a .328 batting average with 11 doubles, two triples and three home runs. Lee also stole 27 of 30 bases.

Massingham compiled a 7-3 record and 3.07 ERA this spring at Cal Poly, appearing in 25 games, all out of the bullpen. The Mizuno Pitcher of the Year candidate earned six saves and struck out 35 batters in 41 innings. Opponents hit just .253 against him.

Eskew put together a 6-2 record and 5.01 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 73.2 innings in his final season with the Mustangs. He was the Friday night starter at the beginning of the season but was moved into the bullpen prior to the start of Big West play.

The seven Mustangs chosen in the three-day MLB Draft were one short of the Cal Poly mark set in 2008 when eight players were drafted. Only four signed contracts. Six Mustangs were drafted in 2006. The total number of Cal Poly players drafted since and including the 2004 season is now 29.

Cal Poly has had 14 players selected in the first 10 rounds of the last six drafts (2004-09). Three other Mustangs signed free-agent contracts with Major League organizations and three more signed deals with independent league teams.