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PLAINVILLE - Within the heart of Red Sox country, Mike Lyon's route to professional baseball might have him draped in a New York Yankees uniform.

The former King Philip Regional High Warrior and senior captain and shortstop on the Northeastern University baseball team, was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 24th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft.

"I had worked out for the Yankees in the spring at school, but there were a few other teams - the Phillies, the Astros, Milwaukee and San Francisco - that were interested too," Lyon said from Tampa, where he reported to the Yankees' instructional league camp.

After a week with other Yankee draftees and players involved with extended instructional league work, the 21-year-old Lyon will likely be sent to New York's Staten Island team in the Class A New York-Penn League.

Lyon was drafted as a third baseman by the Yankees and will see extensive duty there after being a shortstop almost exclusively throughout his collegiate career on Huntington Avenue. "When I had worked out for the Yankees, they had indicated that they might move me to third base," said Lyon. Represented by sports agent David Rogers of the J.P. Sports Group based in Hingham, Lyon was signed by New York's New England Region scout Matt Hyde.

Lyon becomes the 29th Husky to be drafted by a Major League team. He is the 13th Huntington Hound to be drafted since 1998, when Carlos Pena became the school's first-ever first round draft pick after the Texas Rangers selected him with 10th overall pick.

Lyon and NU teammate Frank Pesanello, a junior catcher and former Bishop Feehan Shamrock, also from Plainville, were both selected to the New England Intercollegiate Baseball All-Star Team.

After the first six rounds of the MLB Draft concluded Thursday, Lyon was crossing his fingers. "Houston said that they'd likely take me anywhere from the eighth to 12th round, but when they didn't, I was kind of confused," said Lyon.

Hyde, the Yankees' scout, knew of Lyon when he was an assistant coach at Harvard and was recruiting Lyon out of King Philip's stable of players mentored by Warrior coach Ed Moran ("he was the best shortstop I've ever seen at KP, a lot better than I was.").

"I couldn't be happier," said Lyon, a 2004 graduate from KP, who is 28 credits shy of obtaining his degree from Northeastern. "I'm not going to complain about playing for the richest team in baseball!"

The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder recently completed a prolific career with the Huskies and batted .357 with 14 home runs and 46 RBI in his senior season. He set a Northeastern single-season record with 138 total bases on the season and tied Chris Emanuele's school record with 19 doubles on the season.

Lyon led Northeastern this season with 49 runs scored, a .693 slugging percentage, 28 walks, six stolen bases and was tied for the team-lead with three triples. For the second consecutive season, Lyon led the team in extra-base hits, belting a team-high 36.

It was also the second straight year that Lyon was the lone Husky to start every game - at shortstop.

"I've played nothing but shortstop the last two years and the Yankees had already drafted a few shortstops ahead of me," said Lyon. Last summer, while playing with the Petersburg (Va.) Generals of the Southern Intercollegiate Baseball League, Lyon played a lot of third base to better acclimate himself to the position and increase his versatility. Lyon completed his NU career as the school's all-time leader with 89 extra-base hits, ranks second all-time with 50 doubles, third with 32 home runs, sixth with 192 hits and ninth with 114 RBI.

Lyon's draft selection comes following a number of postseason honors. On May 20, he was named to the All-Colonial Athletic Association first team. One week later, he was named to the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association All-New England Division I first team.

The Huskies currently have two active playing for Major League baseball teams - Pena is the starting first baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays, and former Husky backstop, Luke Carlin, is currently serving as the back-up catcher for the San Diego Padres.

Lyon batted .321 with 10 homers and 33 RBI as a junior at Northeastern, notably banging a double off the Green Monster at Fenway Park as the Huskies beat Boston College 2-0 for the Beanpot Tournament title.

"All this season I tried to put up good numbers and win games," said Lyon, the Huskies winning 25 games in 2008. "Coming into this season, I was kind of sure that I'd get drafted. It was exciting, getting the call and the Yankees wishing me luck.

"I'm looking to play at the highest level, to get to the major leagues - now it's up to me."