Mark McBratney’s patience finally paid off at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.
It was then he got the call from David Chadd, vice president of amateur scouting for the Detroit Tigers, who asked him if he’d consider signing with the Tigers’ organization.
McBratney said yes. And fast.
“That’s what I’ve worked for my whole life,” McBratney said. “I’ve wanted to be a professional baseball player growing up. Playing the game, that’s what I work for.
“It’s awesome just to see things start to come together. To just get the opportunity — that’s all I want.”
The Emporia State outfielder will have that starting next week, as he agreed to a minor-league contract with the Tigers on Wednesday.
His signing comes one week after he was not selected in the 45 rounds of the MLB Draft.
Instead of joining up with an independent league team, McBratney chose to compete with the El Dorado Broncos summer league squad and hold out hope that an MLB team would take a chance on him.
The Tigers did just that Wednesday.
“I think he’s definitely deserving of the opportunity,” ESU coach Bob Fornelli said. “After the draft, we were pretty disappointed that he didn’t get drafted, but he gets an opportunity like this, and it’s the same as getting drafted. Now, he just has to go make the best of it.”
McBratney hit .349 last season with nine home runs and 71 RBI for ESU. He was a two-time, first-team All-MIAA performer and also earned honorable mention All-American honors his junior season.
From here, things move pretty quickly. McBratney will leave Sunday for Lakeland, Fla., will get a physical on Monday, then will start play for the Gulf Coast League Tigers of the rookie league in the first game of the season Tuesday.
“I’ve always had to work hard to make myself better than more talented guys,” McBratney said. “I’m just going to keep working hard and see where it takes me.”
McBratney said he knew the Tigers had some interest in him after he had talked with a local scout earlier in the season. He received a call from Fornelli on Wednesday saying to expect someone to contact him within the next 24 hours.
McBratney’s phone rang 20 minutes later.
The ESU outfielder was so eager to accept the offer that he even agreed without getting all the technicalities of his contract.
“I don’t know any details, to tell you the truth,” McBratney said. “I just know you go down there, and it’s a basic minor-league deal.”
McBratney also received some help from Steve Johnson, his former coach at Butler County.
Johnson, who also coached McBratney this summer with the Broncos, was in touch with the Tigers’ scouts after one of his pitchers at Butler was drafted in the 35th round by Detroit.
The coach went ahead and put a plug in for McBratney as well.
Detroit focused much of its scouting efforts on the state of Kansas. In addition to signing McBratney, the Tigers also took Noah Krol (17th round, Wichita State), Kyle Peter (34th round, Washburn), Sean Finefrock (35th round, Butler County), Tanner Rindels (36th round, Seward County), Austin Woodward (38th, Bishop Carroll HS), Jake Oberlechner (39th round, Arkansas City HS) and Matthew Robertson (42nd round, Valley Center HS) from schools in the Sunflower State.
Four ESU players in the last three years have signed with Major League organizations. Last year, pitcher Gabe Medina was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 15th round, and catcher John Martin was taken by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 24th round.
Pitcher Scott Fogelson was a free-agent signing of the San Diego Padres in 2005.
“That’s the reason we’ve been able to have three 40-win seasons and been to Regionals the last four years,” Fornelli said. “Those guys are the guys that have helped us get there.”
Lare still waiting out
his options
Emporia State pitcher Trent Lare is mulling his options while still hoping a Major League team will come calling for him.
Lare, a 6-foot-4 lefty, went 9-3 for the Hornets last season with a 3.00 earned-run average.
The transfer from Oklahoma State also led the team with 74 strikeouts.
“We’ve already had three or four calls for the Independent League, but he wants to try to hook on with an organization and see what happens,” Fornelli said.
If Lare doesn’t hear anything, he will most likely compete in the collegiate Jayhawk League this summer, then consider moving on to the Frontier League in the fall.
The Frontier League, which is an independent professional baseball league, has three former Hornets playing in it: pitchers Scott Fogelson, Toro Trevino and Matt Petty.