Catcher Luis Trevino drafted by Tampa Bay Rays

ABILENE – Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Second Team All-America and Abilene Christian catcher Luis Trevino Wednesday was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 40th and final round of the Major League Baseball June First-Year Player Draft. The 2019 Southland Conference Player of the Year was pick No. 1,208 with only nine ball players drafted afterward.

"We're so excited to see that Luis is getting the opportunity that he deserves to continue his career as a professional baseball player with Tampa Bay," said head coach Rick McCarty, who recently completed his first year at ACU. "Getting drafted today caps a remarkable record setting senior year for Luis. He helped elevate our program by the way he competed in every opportunity he had, which led our team to the best finish in DI history.

"We're extremely proud to call him a Wildcat and very grateful for how he has represented our program."

Trevino's next stop likely will be the Rays' Gulf Coast League team in Port Charlotte, Fla. He could also be dispatched to the Hudson Valley (N.Y.) Renegades, which is Tampa Bays' Class A Short Season club. Trevino said he'll be given more details in the coming days, during which the team will send its scout to McAllen, Texas for the contract signing.

"To be honest it feels like everything I've been doing the last 19 years – all the extra work – has been worth it," said Trevino from his home in Mission, Texas. "It feels so good … and this is an accomplishment not just for me, but for the whole school. I hope this leads to more players getting drafted from ACU and little-by-little brings us up to a bigger DI level."

McCarty earlier today also tweeted the Rays got a "steal" in Trevino and, "can't wait to watch him hit his way to the big leagues. Jeff Ellis (@jeffMLBdraft) added Trevino's selection was a 'nice get in the 40th round', while McAllen-based sports writer Teclo J. Garcia (@teclogar) echoed the sentiments of many in Wildcat nation, tweeting it was, "draft bogusness … (that Trevino) couldn't even get a sniff before 25(th) round."

A redshirt senior, Trevino was one of the Southland's most-feared sluggers who missed out on the league's Triple Crown by one home run as he hit .408 with 15 HR and 63 RBI. He also led the conference with 39 walks, hit .509 with runners in scoring position and ranked among the nation's top 25 players in RBI, on-base percentage (.504), slugging percentage (.743) and total bases (142).

"His work ethic has been second to none from day one this year," added McCarty. "He set a new standard for what it looks like to show up and work everyday with a purpose. I believe that work ethic and his gift to hit will help him climb levels very fast."

Trevino started his collegiate career at Navarro College, where he set the school's two-year batting average record by hitting a combined .388 as a freshman and sophomore. He then transferred to ACU prior to the 2017 season, and following his first year with the Wildcats he was voted Third Team All-Southland Conference after batting .366 with  31 runs scored, four home runs, and 43 RBI.

In between his two ACU seasons, Trevino underwent Tommy John surgery, which caused him to miss the entire 2018 campaign. A MLB.com scouting report suggested Trevino does not throw as well now, but he still gunned down a team-high 13 opposing base stealers through 27 starts at catcher. He also received some midseason recognition with a spot on the Buster Posey Award watch list.

Even though his fans were pained to see him slip down the draft board – as some experts thinking he'd be taken late on day two – Trevino made sure he got in his work and remained steadfast in his gratefulness to God.

"I hit from about 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today, and thought I get drafted a littler earlier," said Trevino, "but I'm still so happy that I got drafted in the last round. I'm thankful to God for putting this plan in place for me. He wanted me to go in the last round, and for me it was never about the money or anything else. I just want to play professional baseball like I have every day since I was five-years-old. Now I get that opportunity."

Trevino is the third Wildcat backstop to be drafted in the past decade, joining 2014 Texas Rangers' selection Seth Spivey (10th round) and 2011 Tampa Bay draftee Ian Tomkins (50th round).

Trevino also is the 11th ACU player drafted by an MLB team. The first was Detroit Tigers' 1969 third-rounder and later Wildcat head baseball coach Bill Gilbreth (1991-95). ACU then went without a draft pick until 1992 (the program was dormant from 1980-91) when pitcher Louis Maberry was taken in the 44th round by the Cincinnati Reds.

A majority of ACU's draft picks have come since 2001. Outfielder and 2001 Lone Star Conference Player of the Year Adam Thomas (.407, 11 triples, 32 stolen bases) was selected that summer by the Baltimore Orioles followed by 2002 Reds draftee Frankie Keller (6-3, 83 K, 3.33 ERA).

ACU first baseman Joel Wells was the first Wildcat taken as an infielder in 2006 followed by pitchers Jameson Maj (St. Louis Cardinals, 2007) and Trey Watten (2008, Milwaukee Brewers). The Wildcats most recent draft pick was right-handed pitcher Brandon Lambright by Colorado in 2017.

Maj and Watten were back-to-back Lone Star Conference Pitchers of the Year in 2007 and 2008. Watten additionally hit .377 the same year he won 10 games with 113 strikeouts and a 2.56 ERA.
 

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Abilene Christian | MLB June First-Year Player Draft History
Year	Round	Pick	Name	Position	Team
2019	40	1208	Luis Trevino	C	Tampa Bay Rays
2017	27	806	Brandon Lambright	P	Colorado Rockies
2014	10	306	Seth Spivey	C	Texas Rangers
2011	50	1529	Ian Tomkins	C	Tampa Bay Rays
2008	7	218	Trey Watten	P	Milwaukee Brewers
2007	45	1338	Jameson Maj	P	St. Louis Cardinals
2006	21	634	Joel Wells	1B	New York Mets
2002	10	285	Frankie Keller	P	Cincinnati Reds
2001	19	563	Adam Thomas	OF	Baltimore Orioles
1992	44	1221	Louis Maberry	P	Cincinnati Reds
1969	3	67	Bill Gilbreth	P	Detroit Tigers