Jacob Thompson, a former Piedmont District standout who became an All-American pitcher at Virginia, was drafted by his favorite team Thursday.

The Tunstall High School graduate was chosen by the Atlanta Braves in the fifth round of the major-league amateur draft.

Thompson, the 160th overall pick, had hoped to be drafted higher. But he plans to skip his senior season to turn pro.

"I'm ready to play [pro] ball," he said. "It's a lifelong dream to become [a Brave].

"There was some disappointment in it, but I couldn't be more excited right now."

Two other UVa juniors also were drafted.

Second baseman David Adams was chosen late in the third round by the New York Yankees with the 106th overall pick. All-ACC shortstop Greg Miclat was taken in the fifth round by Baltimore with the 146th pick.

Former Virginia Tech left-hander Evan Frederickson, who transferred to the University of San Francisco last summer, was taken by Milwaukee in the supplemental round between the first and second rounds.

The junior from Oak Hill, Va., was chosen with the 35th overall pick.

The first six rounds of the draft were held Thursday; the final 44 rounds will be held today.

Thompson earned All-America honors as a sophomore in 2007, when he went 11-0 with a 1.50 ERA and 101 strikeouts.

The 6-foot-6, 215-pound right-hander did not fare as well this year, which is why he figures he wasn't drafted as high as he had hoped. He was 6-4 with a 4.30 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 81²₃ innings this year.

Thompson said it was a "very, very frustrating" day.

"I expected a little higher," said Thompson, whose 27 career wins are tops in UVa history. "I had kind of a down year, a disappointing year, but I can wipe the slate clean now and get back to pitching how I know how. I just need to gain a little weight and get stronger.

"I just need to get that cockiness back."

Thompson helped Tunstall win Group AA titles in 2004 and 2005.

Adams also intends to bypass his senior year and turn pro.

"I'm gone for sure," he said.

Adams had hoped before the season to be a first-round pick, but his expectations changed after he hurt himself with a subpar year. He hit .286 with six homers and 51 RBIs after batting .372 last season.

"It was a very disappointing year," he said. "That's why coming into this, ... I didn't have very high expectations.

"Luckily, the Yankees took a chance on me."

Miclat hit .320 and stole 30 bases this year. He is tied for first in UVa history with 83 career stolen bases.

"I definitely want to go [pro] this year," Miclat said. "If the money's not what I want it to be, I'm prepared this summer to go to the Cape [Cod League] and play and try to improve my value -- I have up till Aug. 15 [to sign]."

Frederickson was just 0-3 with a 7.94 ERA in 12 games as a Tech freshman in 2006, which was Chuck Hartman's final year as coach. He was 2-1 with a 6.35 ERA in nine games in 2007, which was Pete Hughes' first year at the helm.

"I got my opportunities at Tech. I didn't take advantage of them," he said. "I just needed a change of scenery."

Frederickson was 5-3 with a 4.54 ERA this year, when he struck out 109 batters.

"I just improved a ton," he said. "I just started throwing more accurately, being more consistent."

The Tampa Bay Rays took high school shortstop Tim Beckham of Griffin, Ga., with the No. 1 overall pick.

Daniel Schlereth, a University of Arizona pitcher selected 26th by the Diamondbacks, is the son of former NFL offensive lineman and current ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.