This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Sports

Former McCluer Outfielder Chooses Cardinals Over College

Lance Jeffries tells "Patch" how he first learned he was a 10th round draft pick and what it means to him.

The reality of the situation has not yet hit home with recent McCluer High School graduate .

Just the other day, Jeffries said, he was in his living room listening to the Major League draft on the Internet.

When it was the hometown Cardinals' turn to pick in the 10th round, his name was heard loud and clear over the information super highway.

Find out what's happening in Florissantwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We were all going crazy in the house, everybody," said Jeffries, now signed and working out in the Cards minor league complex in Jupiter, FL. "It was very exciting and mind blowing. I think it was the happiest day of my life so far."

The past several weeks have been a blur for Jeffries.

Find out what's happening in Florissantwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

He finished his final season in the Suburban North Conference in style.

Jeffries was named the Player of the Year in the conference after hitting .457 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs. He also stole 46 bases and finished with a on base percentage of .587 and a slugging percentage of .1057.

He was recruited by several NCAA Division II schools to play college baseball, and if he wasn't drafted, Jeffries was headed to Iowa Wesleyan University. But playing at the professional level was a goal for Jeffries.

"I'm not real book smart, but I was ready to play in college," Jeffries said. "I was waiting on the draft. I was nervous."

Drafting a young high school player, in any sport, is a gamble.

Playing college baseball after being drafted is also a gamble, but each player is unique.

Some, like local Cards picks Brett Graves and David Schmidt, have terrific college offers. Graves, a University of Missouri recruit, will decide this summer if he is going to sign. Schmidt is headed to play at Stanford University.

Each player has to make his own choice. In Jeffries' case, college was the second choice. Jeffries said he had his parents' support.

Ed Joyce, a powerful left-handed pitcher at Rosary in the early 1970s, had the same choice to make. He lived in our neighborhood in Dellwood. I sat in his kitchen with his high school coach, his family and a Cardinal scout the day he signed a pro contract. He played several seasons in the Cards farm system but injured his arm in winter ball.

Joyce recently retired from Anheuser-Busch and was inducted into the St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame. He played with the St. Louis Union Printers after pro ball and coached American Legion baseball for several years. He has never regretted signing a pro contract.

Days after being drafted, Jeffries signed with the Cardinals. He'll spend the next several weeks in Jupiter being evaluated and playing with the Gulf Coast League club before hopefully joining another minor league club later this season.

"So far it has been going great," Jeffries said. "This has been a whole new experience for me but I feel good so far."

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Florissant