Whirlwind week for Bauers

Baseball

Marina High first baseman went from losing CIF title game to being drafted in seventh round of MLB Draft.

June 12, 2013|By Mike Sciacca

(KEVIN CHANG / HB…)

By his own admissions, Jake Bauers has called the past few weeks nothing short of "crazy."

The Marina High senior will tell you, he'd have it no other way.

On the cusp of the month of June, Bauers and the Marina baseball team played for a CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship. Since that May 31 night at Dodger Stadium, so much more has transpired for the 17-year-old.

Although the Vikings were denied the program's third Southern Section baseball title on the final day of May, Bauers did realize another dream of his when he was taken in the seventh round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Friday by the San Diego Padres.

Bauers learned of his selection while checking out the draft proceedings on a home computer. When he heard his name, the reality, and relief, sunk in.

His was the 208th overall pick in the draft.

"When we heard it, we shot up from our seats. We had a nice, family hug," said Bauers, who watched the announcement come across the screen with his parents, Stuart and Misty.

"It really was crazy," he continued. "This senior year has been absolutely unforgettable."

Bauers said Wednesday that he came to an agreement with the Padres on Tuesday but did not reveal any specifications. He said he will sign with the organization this coming Tuesday.

Since that CIF title game, Bauers traveled to San Diego for a workout, played in the Orange County All-Star Baseball Game — where he had a run-scoring single, and was taken in the MLB Draft in a one-week period.

The All-Sunset League first baseman also on Tuesday was named to the All-CIF Southern Section Division 1 Baseball Team.

Within a 12-hour period, Bauers had to shift his emotions away from a heart-breaking, 1-0 championship game loss to North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake, to zero in and focus on a scheduled workout with the Padres.

"The very next day after the CIF championship game, I went to San Diego for a workout at Petco Park," he said. "That CIF game was a great game, and an emotional one, but it was easy to turn the page and concentrate on what was next. I had to. I ended up having a great workout."

Bauers knew the Padres were honed in on him.

"They were showing a lot of interest," he said.

But that didn't prevent Bauers from experiencing some tense moments as the 49th annual draft proceedings, which began June 6, progressed.

The first few rounds came and went without his name called.