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Senior Conrad Gregor played his first varsity baseball game as a freshman. As this school competed against top-ranked Center Grove, Gregor stepped up to the plate and hit a home run to win the game. Since then, Gregor’s abilities have matured, which is the primary reason he is a potential first-round pick in the 2010 Major League Baseball draft. Gregor also has a partial, close-to-full ride, scholarship to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. If he chooses to go to Vanderbilt, Gregor will forfeit his eligibility in the MLB draft until he is 21 years old.

Gregor said, “Ultimately, the decision whether to sign or not will come down to what the team will pay me and which team drafts me. It would have to be a special situation with a guaranteed signing bonus.”

According to the MLB official draft rules, high school players are only eligible if they have graduated from high school and have not yet attended college or junior college. Therefore, players drafted immediately out of high school are in a predicament. They must choose between their immediate education and the chance of a lifetime. However, according to the MLB draft history, the vast majority of players selected in the First-Year Player Draft will never play in a single MLB game, including many first-round draft picks. Only 31 of 53 first-round draft picks in the 1997 draft ever played in a MLB game.

According to Head Coach Eric Lentz, “Conrad is a responsible and good student. He shows good leadership and interacts well with everyone. He is a good prospect. I know if he is drafted he will make the correct choice (for himself).”

Gregor said scouts come to this school’s games because of its baseball success, and he was able to showcase his talent to these scouts. Lentz said, “(Conrad) will have the opportunity this season to prove to the scouts his abilities. He is a good prospect because of his athletic ability, hitting and throwing.” Gregor added, “It helps to do well in the classroom. By working hard in the classroom, many more opportunities have been available for me.”

In the past few years, more athletes have chosen the academic pursuit over the athletic one. Potential professional football player Myron Rolle was both a college football star and the Rhodes Scholar, but Rolle decided to take a year off of football to pursue his academics overseas. A college degree offers many benefits. According to a University of Maryland study on the benefits of a college degree, a college graduate’s salary is double that of a non-college graduate’s salary and a college degree greatly expands one’s social horizons.

According to a scouting report by Perfect Game USA, Gregor is a big guy with tools and serious hitting ability. The average guaranteed signing bonus for a first round draft pick is approximately $2 million according to BaseballAmerica.com. A full-ride scholarship to Vanderbilt for four years is worth $55,000 annually. The major league route is more financially secure.

According to bleacherreport.com,17 high school players drafted in the first round of the 2007 draft, none have reached the major leagues. According to Baseball Prospectus, players drafted out of college are more likely to reach the major league level and more likely to become a star player.

Here at this school, Gregor has taken advantage of his multiple opportunities. One of his most memorable experiences occurred last year when he was selected to play in the AFLAC All-American team, which consists of the top 30 baseball players of the 2010 Class in the nation. Before the game, Gregor enjoyed practicing with the other players as well as volunteering in the community where the game was held. Gregor said, “I enjoyed giving back, and I enjoyed the satisfaction that all my hard work and dedication had paid-off. It was a great experience.”

Gregor has both a college education and the chance to be a professional athlete beckoning him. Fortunately for him, he can do both. To this Gregor said, “It is easy to stay humble. I have been blessed with a lot of gifts, so I try to be nice to everyone.”