Boston College Baseball Sees Four Taken on Third Day of the Draft

The third and final day of the 2018 MLB Draft was a good one for the Boston College baseball team, as it saw four Eagles get selected by Major League clubs. Recent graduate Jake Palomaki was the first Eagle off the board, as the Tampa Bay Rays called his name in the 18th round. He was followed quickly thereafter by rising senior Jacob Stevens, who was nabbed by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 21st round. Brian Rapp, who ended his BC career in May, was then taken in the 26th round by the Minnesota Twins and rising senior Dan Metzdorf, the Eagle’s Saturday starter throughout the season, was picked up by the New York Yankees in the 38th.

The selections of each is a great honor, as it symbolizes years of hard work, dedication, and a dream come true. Though Palomaki and Rapp have no more eligibilty remaining and will certainly sign with the Rays and Twins, respectively, the questions now becomes, will Stevens and Metzdorf opt to turn pro, or return to the Heights for their senior campaigns?

I wrote in this season’s recap that my gut tells me Stevens will likely sign, and I still feel that way today. This is the third time in his career he’s been drafted, he’s cemented his legacy in the Boston College record books, and this is the most leverage he’ll have with big league clubs. The time is right for him to take the next step. As for Metzdorf, my guess is he returns to campus in the fall. Though it’s a great honor to be drafted and the temptation to turn pro is large, my belief is that he needs one more year to hone his skills before joining a professional club. Of course, he and his family may feel differently, and instead opt to sign with the Yankees. If that’s the case, I can’t fault him one bit for chasing his dream.

Regardless of what decision the two rising seniors make, its a great individual honor and something that reflects well on the program as a whole.

Congratulations fellas!