John Nelson became the third former Kansas University baseball player to join a major-league roster this summer when the St. Louis Cardinals recalled the right-handed-hitting shortstop Tuesday from their Class AAA farm team in Memphis.

Nelson, who played for the Jayhawks from 1998-2001, is KU’s career leader in triples and in strikeouts.

He also ranks No. 3 in career stolen bases.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Nelson has been in the Cardinals’ minor-league system since St. Louis made the Denton, Texas, native an eighth-round selection in the 2001 June draft.

In his second season with Memphis this summer, the 27-year-old Nelson was batting .217 with 141 strikeouts in 116 games.

He had slugged 21 home runs.

The other former Jayhawks on major-league rosters this season are both pitchers – Tom Gorzelanny with Pittsburgh and Les Walrond with the Chicago Cubs.