BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
Mission Veterans’ Noel Vela and Edinburg North’s Saul Garza were both drafted in the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft on Wednesday.
Vela was taken with the third pick in Round 28 by the San Diego Padres. Garza went to the St. Louis Cardinals with the 19th pick in Round 31.
Garza’s projections coming into the draft had been much higher, but many clubs decided not to take him after he lasted beyond Day 2.
“Teams were worried about my signability after I fell to Day 3,” Garza said. “They were just asking me if they offered me a smaller financial investment, if I would be willing to sign. I had told them that since it was Day 3, I more than likely wouldn’t sign. So, that’s what pushed my draft stock down to Round 31.”
Garza said he received several calls earlier in the day, but teams weren’t willing to take a chance on losing a draft pick were they to select Garza and have him not sign. After the early calls, Garza said he wasn’t expecting to get drafted at all. He found out about being selected when he was tagged in a tweet.
Garza is committed to Howard junior college in Big Spring. He said he has several Division I programs who also have shown interest.
“My family and I will get together over the next couple of days and weigh our options,” Garza said. “After we consider all of our options, we will make a decision on going to the pros or going to college. And, if its college, we have to decide where the right fit is.”
Garza, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound catcher, hit .530 this season with 33 RBIs. He had a .645 OBP and a 1.060 slugging percentage for an OPS of 1.706.
This season, the Cougars went 19-6-1 overall and 12-2 in District 31-6A. Garza helped the Cougars reach the bi-district round, where they swept Harlingen High. In the area round, North was swept by McAllen High.
Taken with overall pick No. 934, Garza was glad to be selected by the Cardinals.
“As soon as I found out, I was pretty excited,” Garza said. “It was a great moment and a great feeling. They just felt like a great organization and an organization that is really willing to help develop young players like myself. For an organization like that to draft me, feels amazing. I took a picture with Jaime Garcia earlier this spring. I saw him at a Sunday league game before he left for spring training. To know that I got to meet a Valley player who spent so many years of his career with the Cardinals and then to be taken by that same team, it’s pretty cool.”
Vela had one pre-draft workout, and it was for the Padres.
This season, Vela went 8-1 with an 0.94 ERA. In 52 innings he amassed 87 strikeouts. The No. 828 overall pick hit .462 this year with 45 RBIs while spending most of the days he didn’t pitch at first base.
This season, the Patriots went 26-6 overall and 14-2 in District 31-5A. Vela led Mission Veterans to the bi-district round, where the team swept Donna High. In the area round, Veterans lost to Calallen in three games.
If Vela were to sign with the Padres, he would begin his professional baseball career in the Arizona Rookie League.
Vela could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.