2 McLennan County Community College players selected in MLB draft

WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Major League Baseball's draft is over, and two McLennan County Commuinity College Highlanders got the call that is extending their athletic careers.

"My dad found out before I did — they end up picking me second pick on day three, so I just sat down and start watching the show with my sister wasn't gonna watch the draft," Zach Cawyer said.

"I didn't want to sit there, you know, for a while watching other people go, I didn't know what my name was going to be called — all of a sudden I hear the screeching from the other room."

Cawyer was selected by the Kansas City Royals.

"I was just driving home and I saw a number on my phone, and I picked it up and I was kind of like — I was just in shock at first and then I kind of realized what it was," said Texas Rangers draft pick Mac Rose.

Central Texas baseball is growing every year, and players that make their way to MCC see growth on and off the field.

"That friendship and the family feeling and getting to be a part of that and then obviously — the baseball," Rose said.

"When guys come out and watch and people in the community come out and watch and they see us or they come to our camps and stuff like that, they know that, 'Hey, this is a place that people come in here, they better their situations and they move on to awesome to awesome opportunities'," said MCC head baseball coach, Tyler Johnson.

With them now looking to make a professional league roster, they leave one last piece of advice to their teammates and future Highlanders.

"What's most important no matter what level you're at, is finding a place that's going to make you happy," Cawyer said.

"You know, the amazing thing about McLennan, is you have incredible facilities, incredible coaches — Waco is an incredible town. If I would have went to TCU right out of high school, I probably wouldn't have pitched and I might have got cut right out of the gate, just because I still need the time to develop."

"Do the right thing, you know, turn in your work on time," Rose said.

"Show up to practice early, never skip anything — just be there and be ready to go and, and work hard."

The current MLB season continues and for JUCO baseball, keep an eye on these players to see will be the next to step up to the professional plate.

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