Kansas University home run record-holder Travis Metcalf is off to a solid professional start.

After 17 games playing third base for the Spokane (Wash.) Indians, a short-season Class A farm team of the Texas Rangers, Metcalf was hitting .284 with seven doubles, a triple and two home runs. His slugging percentage was a gaudy .507.

Metcalf, the 11th round June draft choice of the Rangers, hit a school record 18 home runs for the Jayhawks last season. He also is the school career leader with 29 round-trippers.

Two other members of the 2004 KU team also are making their pro debuts this summer.

Ryan Knippschild has started two games for the Mahoning Valley (Ohio) Scrappers, a Cleveland Indians’ short-season Class A club, with no decisions. He has a 4.85 earned-run average in 13 innings. Knippschild was taken by the Indians in the 35th round of the June draft.

Also, Ryan Baty made his pro debut Tuesday for the Hudson Valley (N.Y.) Renegades after missing a month because of a beaning suffering during extended spring training.

Baty, who signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as a free agent in late May, entered Tuesday’s game against Staten Island in the eighth inning and delivered an RBI single in his first pro at-bat.