A storybook season for Cal State Fullerton junior David Olmedo-Barrera will include a new chapter. The St. Francis High alumnus said Saturday afternoon that he was foregoing his senior season with the Titans and was planning on flying to Tampa, Fla. on Wednesday with the intent of signing a contract. "I have to take a physical and make sure everything checks out," Olmedo-Barrera, 20, said, "but if everything is OK and the paperwork checks out, I will be signing." The designated hitter was selected by the Rays in the 12th round with the 358th pick on the third and final day of the Major League Baseball First-Year Draft on June 10. Olmedo-Barrera hadn't focused much, or at least admitted to thinking about the draft much, since his Titans had clinched a berth to the College World Series two days prior to being selected.
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Cal State Fullerton designated hitter David Olmedo-Barrera (back) confirmed that he will skip he's senior season and intends on signing a contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. (AP Photo/Ted Kirk)
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Fullerton was eliminated by LSU, 5-3, on June 16. "I talked to [Fullerton Coach Rick Vanderhook] and some of the guys on the team and we all think it's a good idea for me to part from Fullerton after the season I had," Olmedo-Barrera said. "Age is everything in the minors and I think it's a good time for me to go." Olmedo-Barrera put together a great season for the Titans (39-25), finishing second on the team in batting average at .325, while hitting 10 of his squad's 20 homers along with 46 runs batted in, 45 runs, nine doubles, six triples and stealing 14 bases. Olmedo-Barrera was named the Big West co-Player of the Year. Olmedo-Barrera was the 13th Titan to claim the honor and later was also placed on the American Baseball Coaches Assn./Rawlings All-West Region team. Perhaps Olmedo-Barrera's biggest regular season effort came April 4, when he went two for two with a grand slam and tied a school record with eight RBI in the Titans' 13-2 conference victory versus Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. While Olmedo-Barrera helped Fullerton to a 20th Big West Conference crown, his biggest heroics came in the postseason. In eight playoff games, Olmedo-Barrera was 13 for 32 (.406) with two homers, eight runs, seven RBI, three doubles, one triple, five walks and two stolen bases The La Ca?ada Flintridge resident was named to the Fullerton All-Regional Team and was the hero of the Titans' 4-3 clinching victory over third-seeded host Louisville when he cracked a game-winning homer in the 11th inning to send Fullerton to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb. for the first time since 2009. "Besides the crazy environment of Omaha, I had plenty of people asking about the home run," Olmedo-Barrera said. "I had people coming up and asking for my autograph and others who said they were so much happier to see us in the World Series than Louisville. It was a special feeling." Fullerton's run ended with a rain-delayed 4-3 defeat to Vanderbilt on Monday afternoon followed by a 5-3 setback to LSU on Tuesday. The Titans led Vanderbilt, 3-0, through 5 2/3 innings when the game was postponed Sunday evening due to inclement weather and was picked back up at noon on Monday. "You can't really blame the weather," Olmedo-Barrera said. "I'm sure that's what a lot of us thought. To not have [starting pitcher Thomas] Eshleman out there to close it out hurt us, but Vanderbilt still had to get a double in the ninth and still had to get a game-winning two-run homer. We still had our chances." As for the future, Olmedo-Barrera said he's been informed that Tampa will try to transition the left-handed designated hitter into an outfielder. "I've played some outfield in Fullerton and I think they're going to get me working with an outfield coach," Olmedo-Barrera said. "They'll throw me out there and I'll see what I can do." Olmedo-Barrera said he wasn't giving up on his education, though, and intended on finishing up his kinesiology degree during the offseason. In regards to the draft, this year's selection wasn't the first time Olmedo-Barrera was selected. In 2012, Olmedo-Barrera was selected by the Oakland A's in the 40th round out of St. Francis High. When asked the big difference between now and then, the wry Olmedo-Barrera was quick to respond. "Twenty eight rounds - that's the biggest difference," Olmedo-Barrera said. "Honestly though, out of high school, I wasn't ready by any means. I was 160 pounds dripping wet and just at 6 feet. I also needed to mature emotionally and mentally. "I was home in cush La Ca?ada and I wasn't ready for the majors, let alone college. Now, I feel like I'm ready for that minor league grind. I'm ready to take my chances."...(read the full article HERE) |