Southridge High School grad picked up in MLB draft

Like many recent high school grads, Mason Martin was hoping to get a summer job. He found out this week, that he landed his dream job, being picked up in the 17th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"I really like the team, it's a good fit," Martin said. "I like the organization, they take a lot of pride in developing their players. I'm really excited for that opportunity."

Scouts started attending Martin's baseball games earlier this year, and by the time the draft approached, there were several teams expressing an interest in bringing him on board.

"I had a pretty good idea what to expect on draft day, we had been talking with several teams going back and forth on different things."

Now, Martin has to decide whether to sign a contract with the Pirates, or continue on to Gonzaga. If he signs with Pittsburgh, he'll  head out to take a physical and attend rookie training at the team's camp in Florida.

Earlier this year, Martin signed a letter of intent with Gonzaga University to play baseball there, and he could still decide to go that route. If he does, he'll head to Alaska during the summer to play for the Fairbanks Goldpanners before heading to Spokane. He's considering majoring in either architecture or law.

Martin isn't the first Southridge High School graduate to move on to Major Leagues. He says his predecessor, Sean O'Malley, has been a mentor to him through the process.

"Sean's stayed in close contact, especially once the draft process started. He's a great guy, he's helped me out a lot with giving me advice. It's good to have a guy that you can talk to that grinded through and worked his way from the bottom."

O'Malley was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the fifth round of the 2006 MLB draft, right out of high school He's moved in and out of the majors and minors, and currently is on the Seattle Mariners' disabled list.

For now, Martin hasn't made a decision on how to proceed, but is grateful for the support he's had from friends, mentors, and his family.

"It's nice to have options. I'm still waiting it out to see what happens," Martin said. "This is something I've dreamed about since I was a little kid. I wanted it to happen, I expected it happen, and now it's happened."