FORT MYERS, Fla. — Southwest Florida has produced numerous professional baseball players in the past, and this year is no different. Bishop Verot’s Aidan Knaak is currently partaking in the draft process, working his way to achieving his dream of making it to the major leagues.
“It just feels like a dream come true at this point,” Knaak said. “You don’t really think it’s real until it actually happens.”
For most young baseball players, making it to the big leagues is their dream. However, only a select few are actually able to achieve that dream. Knaak is well on his way to being one of those select few.
The right-handed pitcher dominated any mound he stepped on this season. Knaak finished his senior year with a 10-2 record and a 1.24 ERA.
Knaak has improved every year he was in high school. As a freshman, his pitches were topping out in the 80’s. Now, Knaak has an arm as strong as some of the pros. His fastball is coming in around 95 miles per hour. Plus, he has enough pitches in his arsenal to confuse any batter.
“Aidan is one of the best talents I’ve ever seen,” Bishop Verot Baseball Assistant Coach Bryan Marotta said.
The strength and improvements Knaak has added over the years have turned him into one of the most sought-after high school prospects in this year’s MLB Draft. Due to that, the pitcher was invited to the MLB Draft Combine and is one of 323 players who will be in Phoenix, AZ, this week.
“I want to show all of these teams what I got and make sure they know everything that I have on the table when I get there,” Knaak said. “Just talk to these teams and get to know them, as well as let them get to know me.”
The MLB Draft Combine was created just three years ago. Knaak is the third Southwest Florida native to earn an invitation to the important event.
Knaak has already heard from more than half of the teams in MLB. Most of them are curious if he wants to go the pro route or head to college. Knaak is already committed to playing at Clemson University next year. If he is drafted, he will get to choose whether to sign with the team or go to college.
“When the time comes of the draft, if it’s the right decision, then I’m going to go and make my decision to play pro ball,” Knaak said. “If not, we’ll just go on to college.”
No matter his decision, Knaak is well on his way to achieving his childhood dream.
“I think there’s no ceiling,” Marotta said. “I think we could in five, ten years, maybe we could be watching Aidan on TV.”
Before we get to that point, Knaak has the MLB Draft Combine this week, the MLB Draft, which starts on July 9th, and then an important decision to make.
The post Bishop Verot’s Aidan Knaak participating in MLB Draft Combine appeared first on NBC2 News.
