Jul 21 2010 09:05 PM
This is all on Edgy , if the kid turns into a serial killer or can't hit in The Show don't come looking for me.
Meet the Future Met: Rylan Sandoval
| BY MATTHEW EHALT Rylan Sandoval doesn’t think of it as a second chance. After all, he never took the Mets up on their first offer. See, in 2007, Sandoval was drafted in the 30th round by the Mets, but chose not to sign. He instead attended Long Beach State and ended up not being drafted following his senior season in 2009. Yet, here he is, the leadoff hitter for the Brooklyn Cyclones this season, catalyzing one of the best lineups in the New York-Penn League. But he's not a second-timer in his eyes. To Sandoval, he's a shortstop getting his getting his first shot in the minor leagues, albeit with an organization that happened to previously draft him three years ago. “Regardless of whenever I signed, say I signed back then, that’s my one shot at this,” Sandoval said. “This is my first shot and I’m running with it.” Back with the Mets organization, Sandoval has been one of the best-looking prospects for the Cyclones this season, hitting .321 with six home runs and 20 RBI. He’s excelled in his new role as leadoff hitter, and has displayed a good glove in the field. “I’m doing everything I can and leaving it all out there,” Sandoval said. “ If something happens and I come up short, at least I know I did everything I could. That’s basically how I’m going about it.” Sandoval’s journey to the major could’ve started in 2006, but he failed to sign with the Oakland Athletics after being selected in the 38th round. Sandoval was selected as a draft-and-follow player, which means the A’s drafted him without intending to sign him immediately, would watch him for a year, and then decide whether to sign him or let him enter the 2007 Draft. Oakland decided the latter. Heading into the 2007 Draft, Sandoval was called by the Mets before the draft and was told he would be taken in the seventh to 12th round. Well, that ended up being wishful thinking. The Mets selected him in the 30th round, and Sandoval instead opted to go to Long Beach State. “I was thinking to myself I’ll go to school, I’ll play well hopefully and maybe get drafted,” Sandoval said. “That didn’t obviously end up happening.” Sandoval was rarely used as Long Beach State, and his draft stock plummeted. His senior year in 2009, he hit just .250 in 34 games with 96 at-bats. Sandoval said he would play a few games, and then ride the bench for a few weeks, hurting him from developing a rhythm. Three calls were placed to the Long Beach State Baseball office and none were returned. With a lack of playing time and low average, Sandoval ended up without a team following the 2009 draft. He tried reasoning with himself. He had to stay positive. Everything happens for a reason. Maybe he could go play independent ball. Anything to help abate the sting of being undrafted. “It sucked, I’m not gonna lie,” Sandoval said. “I was like what am I gonna do now. I want to play baseball.” Despite the draft snub, Sandoval kept at it. He took swings in the batting cage in his backyard in his home in Northern California. He worked out at his junior college (Chabot Junior College), taking groundballs, hitting, doing infield drills, the whole routine. This lasted all through November, December and January. In February, Sandoval went to play in the Arizona Winter League, an independent league showcase for aspiring players, in Yuma, AZ. He was hoping at worst to sign with an independent squad. It cost about $3000, and the hopefuls played on teams, went through drills, worked out and showcased their talents. That’s where Backman comes in. Although he had already been hired as the Cyclones manager, he had already committed to working at the Winter League, and that’s where he saw a guy that “fell through the cracks.” As Backman explained, some people will try and hide the good prospects like Sandoval, but Backman made sure that didn’t happen. Sandoval was the only player signed by a MLB squad. “He stuck right out,” Backman said. “I called (Mets Director of Minor League Operations) Adam Wogan and we talked about it and we checked on it and yeah we had drafted him before, but (decided) to give him an opportunity. He’s a pretty good looking player.” Said Sandoval: “That was pretty crazy. I talked to Wally about how they had drafted me already and he was like that’s weird you didn’t sign and I kind of laid out the story for him and he was like OK and he’s like well let’s get it going now. It’s kind of ironic, kind of weird that it ends up happening again.” Shortly after, Sandoval was signing a contract and headed off to spring training with the Mets. He raked during spring training but struggled during extended spring training, which carried over to the start of minor league play. He hit just .217 in 10 games with St. Lucie, and just .1114 in nine games with Savannah. He’s shown no signs of struggle with the Cyclones, though. So much that Backman is batting him leadoff, a spot he’s never batted before. While he might first pitch swing from time to time, he’s anchoring that spot because “he’s a damn good hitter” according to Backman. Part of that success goes back to changes Sandoval’s made in his swing since spring training. Cyclones hitting coach Benny DiStefano said his back elbow had been down and he had been drifting forward off pitches. They’ve worked on bringing his back elbow up, and Sandoval’s been a hitting machine since. “He made some adjustments at the plate, he’s a confident young man in general, so he’s taking his confidence into the plate,” DiStefano said. “ He’s got a nice swing with good balance and everything’s clicking right now and he’s seeing the ball very well and he’s taking advantage of his opportunity.” It’s an opportunity that had been possible two times before, but seemed gone just over a year ago. Yet, Sandoval doesn’t let the past weigh him down. There’s no time for the “What If?” game now. Just time for him to continue to impress those in the Mets organization. “You can say, yeah, I wish I had signed because it didn’t work out right away, but who knows what would’ve happened if I had signed right away,” Sandoval said. “I might not have been ready to play pro ball yet. As I look at it now, going through that adversity at Long Beach and going through not playing and getting messed around with, it kind of made me a better.” Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/on_the ... z0uNPbEL00 |
