Madrigal Drafted By Indians

Elk Grove shortstop Nick Madrigal was selected this week by the Cleveland Indians in the 17th round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft. He was the 514th player selected overall.

Madrigal, a four-year starter for the Herd, batted .450 with 31 stolen bases in leading Elk Grove to the Sac-Joaquin Section's Division I championship.

Nick Madigal

Now, the decision for Madrigal will be whether to sign (and there will likely be an upper five- to low six-figure signing bonus offered for being selected in the 17th round) with the Indians or attend Oregon State University, where he is currently committed.

Other area players taken over the past three days of the MLB Draft include Tanner Dodson of Jesuit, selected in the 31st round by the Mets, Nick Sprengel of El Dorado, in the 31st round by the Nationals, and Nathan Lukes of Sacramento State, in the 7th round by the Indians.

In the pick immediately after Madrigal, the 515th overall, the Giants selected Cameron Avila-Leeper, formerly of Grant High School and this past season was the ace of the staff at Delta College in Stockton.

Last summer Elk Grove centerfielder Derek Hill was taken in the first round by the Tigers. He's now in the Midwest League with Western Michigan.

In 2013 Herd stars Rowdy Tellez and Dom Nunez were drafted. Both are in Class A baseball, Tellez with the Blue Jays' organization and Nunez with the Rockies.

Elk Grove's J.D. Davis was selected last summer by the Astros in the 3rd round after three seasons at Fullerton State. He's currently playing in the California League.