COLUMBUS, Ga., June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Tim Beckham, the MVP of the 2007 Aflac All-American High School Baseball Game, led a parade of 10 former Aflac All-American baseball players selected in the first round of today's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Beckham is the third Aflac All- American to be selected #1 overall (Justin Upton in 2005, Matt Bush in 2004), and the first #1 pick to have been the MVP of the Aflac Game.

Since the game's inception in 2003, 52 Aflac All-American alumni have been selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball first-year player draft, including current major leaguers Homer Bailey of the Cincinnati Reds and Justin Upton of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 2008 draft saw 10 Aflac All-Americans drafted in the first round, including Eric Hosmer (No. 3 overall to the Kansas City Royals), Buster Posey (No. 4 overall to the San Francisco Giants) and Kyle Skipworth (No. 5 overall to the Florida Marlins). Also, Ike Davis, the No. 18 pick by the New York Mets, was the MVP of the 2004 Aflac All-American Game. Overall, 143 of 192 Aflac All-Americans have been drafted by Major League teams.

The annual Aflac All-American High School Baseball Game showcases 38 of the nation's top high school players in an East versus West matchup following their junior year. Aflac All-Americans are chosen by the experts at our official selection partner, Perfect Game USA, and in consultation with the staff at baseball's most influential magazine, Baseball America.

"Today's MLB Draft once again illustrates the quality of talent on display at the Aflac All-American Game, with our MVP selected No. 1 overall and four of the top six players drafted," said Al Johnson, Vice President, Marketing Services, Aflac. "We wish Tim Beckham and the others the best of luck as they start their pro careers, and we'll be proud to look back one day and say they've worn an Aflac All-American jersey.

    Aflac All-American players drafted in today's first round included:

    No. 1 - Tim Beckham, SS, Griffin, Ga. - Tampa Bay Rays
    No. 3 - Eric Hosmer, 1B/OF, Plantation, Fla. - Kansas City Royals
    No. 5 - Buster Posey, C, Florida State - San Francisco Giants (from 2004
     Aflac Game)
    No. 6 - Kyle Skipworth, C, Rubidoux, Calif. - Florida Marlins
    No. 13 - Brett Wallace, 3B, Arizona State - St. Louis Cardinals (from 2004
     Aflac Game)
    No. 14 - Aaron Hicks, RHP/OF, Long Beach, Calif. - Minnesota Twins
    No. 15 - Ethan Martin, RHP/3B, Toccoa, Ga. - Los Angeles Dodgers
    No. 18 - Ike Davis, 1B, Arizona State - New York Mets (from 2004 Aflac
     Game)
    No. 28 - Gerrit Cole, RHP, Santa Ana, Calif. - New York Yankees
    No. 40 - Brett Devall, LHP, Niceville, Fla. - Atlanta Braves (supplemental
     first round)

For more than 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. Our insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide. Aflac has been included in Fortune magazine's listing of America's Most Admired Companies for seven consecutive years and in Fortune magazine's list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for nine consecutive years. Aflac has also been recognized three times by both Fortune magazine's listing of the Top 50 Employers for Minorities and Working Mother magazine's listing of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers. 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 .

SOURCE Aflac Incorporated

CONTACT: Tim Turner, Aflac Incorporated, +1-706-243-5594, trturner@aflac.com; Jeff Heckelman, Edelman Sports, +1-212-642-7718, jeff.heckelman@edelman.com