- June 12th, 2006, 4:34 pm
#17947
This ran in the fishwrap the other day but I never saw it posted (if I missed it I apologize):
Grant, LU's Solbach pass on Major League drafthttp://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Sate ... th=!sports
By Nathan Warters
Lynchburg News & Advance
June 8, 2006
Heritage High School's Cameron Grant and Liberty University's Michael Solbach are choosing college baseball over the minor leagues.
Both were selected Wednesday in the later rounds of the Major League Baseball amateur draft, Grant by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 44th round (1,333rd pick) and Solbach by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 48th round (1,429th pick), but both decided to continue their careers in college with the hopes of possibly increasing their stocks for future drafts.
"I'm going to come back to school," said Solbach, who went 7-4 with a 4.66 earned run average and 71 strikeouts for the Flames last season. "I'm going to play next year and see what happens."
Grant plans to put off the pros for a few years to play baseball at Division III Lynchburg College.
"I'm going to go to college for three years, and hopefully after that I'll be ready for pro ball," he said.
NCAA baseball rules require baseball players at four-year schools to complete three years - or be 21 years old at least 45 days before the draft - to be eligible for the draft. If Cameron attends Lynchburg College, he would have to wait until June of 2009 before being drafted again.
"It's something I've got to do to get better," he said.
Grant was the Seminole District player of the year after batting .379 with four home runs and 12 RBIs. His speed might be his greatest attribute. He stole six bases this season.
He ran indoor track for the Pioneers during the winter and won the 500-meter event at the Group AA state meet in March.
"He's a wiry kid," Heritage head coach Keith Scruggs said of the 5-foot-9, 150-pound Grant. "He's strong. He's got some pop in his bat. He's got some tools."
Solbach, a right-handed pitcher from Woodbridge, completed his third year of college eligibility this year. He was injured late in the season, and he felt he didn't get the chance to perform to his potential.
"Not even close," he said. "I want to come back to school and hopefully win a Big South championship."
VMI third baseman Kelly Sweppenhiser was picked in the 44th round (1,318th pick) by the Toronto Blue Jays.
- By ECC29
- By Purple Haize