Gameday Magazine June

Q: You had a full ride to college for a free education, so the money has to be a big part of it, right? A: Yeah. And there’s also something where most guys that didn’t go to school at all, or have a couple years left, there’s a college scholarship program that the MLB provides, and they give you a certain amount of money that you can use on a college scholarship. It’s in addition to what your signing bonus is, and it’s a pretty cool gig. You can use that money to go to school. Q: Did you do it? A: Yes. During the offseason, I’ve been taking classes online. Just chipping away at it. It’s just like a normal college degree, and its mostly paid for. Super nice. I didn’t know that at the time either, and it was one of the deal breakers. Q: What advice would you give somebody who’s going through a similar process this June? A: Just kind of take it all in. For most people, it’s a once and a lifetime experience to get drafted. Just make sure you sit down with your family and make the right decision. Jodd Carter (Drafted by Cleveland in the 24th Round in 2016): Q: What was your first reaction to being picked in the draft and how do you make a decision once you are drafted on which way to go, college or pros? A: It was always a dream of mine to play professional baseball. I mean, once my name got called, it wasn’t a hard decision for me to just go pro. Q: Where were you looking at to play college? A: I was dual signed at the University of Manoa (Hawaii) and then also Central Arizona.

Q: What made you turn pro? A: Just the competition. I mean, I always wanted to play pro. I felt I was in a pretty good spot on where my game was at and felt I could be competitive at the next level. Q: What kind of window did you have to make that decision? A: I had a couple days. I was able to talk with my guys back home and I was also able to talk to the club a little bit. Q: When you are going through a situation like that, what are some of the things you take into account with your family? Is it a certain number in mind that you wanted the Indians to match to get you to sign? A: Not really. I was just talking with my coaches back home and my advisor and they said, “Yeah I think where you are at is good and the numbers are right, so just go.” Q: What kind of advice would you give other guys going through the draft process? A: I would tell people, just don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid to go to college if it’s there. Obviously, if you want to go pro, you can do it. But don’t be afraid that college is right there as well.