DRAFT
The first Tuesday in June is perhaps the most important day of the year for any high school and/or college prospect. It is of course the day of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player's Draft. The fate of these aspiring professionals lies in the hands of professional scouts and Major League brass. Pre-draft workouts and phones ringing off the hook are no suprise to some. Such was the case for Jason Hirsh. Being such a high draft pick, Jason was used to his phone ringing constantly and going to pre-draft workouts almost every week. Once draft day comes its an all out free for all for the best players in the country to be selected by teams looking for the best talent. Jason recalls the day he was drafted by the Houson Astros:
Matt also recalls the day he was drafted:
I remember sitting in my room with friends and family around me listening to the beginning rounds of the draft. I knew that I wasn't going in the top 5 rounds but I was too anxious to stray away from my computer. My scout had called me a day or two before the draft and asked me if I would sign in the top 20 rounds and I said yes I would sign. Once the 20th round came around and I didn't hear my name I was a little shocked. 8 hours had gone by and I hadn't heard my name. On to day two where they finished the final 30 rounds. I sat there in my room listening with my dad there for about an hour and a half and still hadn't heard anything. My dad went to go do some work in the backyard so I was sitting there listening by myself. Round 25 came around and still nothing. I was a little frustrated to say the least and I needed to get out of the house, so I went golfing to try and calm down. My dad gave me a call about a half hour later saying that I was taken in the 30th round. I was happy to hear that I had been drafted. I guess it just wasn't the round that I thought I was going in. Soon after my dad called my scout called and congradulated me. He knew it wasn't where I wanted to go in the draft but thats where they took me. Overall I was pleased that I had been drafted and was anxious to start my career as a professional baseball player.