PHOENIX — The future of baseball was at Chase Field this week for the third annual MLB Draft Combine. The big league dream is now within reach for several high school and collegiate athletes with Arizona ties, including Grand Canyon outfielder Homer Bush and Arizona outfielder Chase Davis.
Davis, a projected top 30 pick in July’s MLB Draft, was among the players making a strong impression on MLB clubs during the Combine. The 21-year-old slugger out of Elk Grove, CA, told 12Sports he met with 23 of the 30 MLB teams during his time in Phoenix.
“It's a blessing to be able to be here each and every single day and be with a whole bunch of people that have my best interests at heart,” Davis said. “They have half of my career in their hands. So I have to understand that I gotta really be myself and I have been.”
Davis finished his junior season batting .362 with an OPS of 1.231 while leading the Wildcats with 21 home runs. Davis also helped Arizona make it to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons. The California native has dedicated his life to becoming a professional baseball player and he’ll be surrounded by loved ones watching the Draft, eagerly waiting to hear his name called.
“It hasn't sunk in yet. It's a blessing to have come this far… It's been a long time and it's always been my dream but thinking about the fact that it's a dream becoming a reality is surreal,” Davis said. “I'm going to be in Elk Grove at my house with a whole bunch of friends and family that had a huge part and a pen in this chapter that I was writing… The city of Tucson welcomed me when I was 18 years old and didn't know much. But now looking back, I'm super proud to say that and give my gratitude and thanks to that whole city.”
Friday Night Fever stars Roch Cholowsky and Duce Robinson were among the high school athletes invited to showcase their skills for MLB scouts. Cholowsky, who played quarterback for Hamilton High School, signed to play baseball at UCLA. The 18-year-old shortstop and Chandler native is a projected Top 40 Draft pick.
“I'm just trying to have as much fun with it as I can. I mean, this is supposed to be an exciting time for all of us. I just gotta soak it all in,” Cholowsky said at the Combine. “Just really getting to pick people's brains when you can, it's a great experience. There's a lot of other guys that I feel like could be out here that really stack up with these guys from Arizona high school baseball.”
While Cholowsky is committed to being a Bruin, Robinson has committed to play football at USC. The Pinnacle High School product is the No. 1 tight end in the class of 2023 and the Phoenix native is looking to balance being a student-athlete and a professional baseball player in the coming months.
“Hopefully right now I'm able to get drafted, play baseball in the spring and summer, and then play football fall and winter. That's the goal right now, whether it's professionally or in college,” Robinson said. “I think Arizona has some really special players in every sport and I think it kind of gets overlooked at times. But there are some dogs out of Arizona, and I hope the world starts to see that a little bit.”
The MLB draft is coming up on July 9 in Seattle.
Follow the conversation with Lina Washington on Twitter: @LWashingtonTV. If you have a sports story idea, email Lina at LWashington@12News.com.
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