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A soccer star in high school, Cougars outfielder was drafted in 10th round in 2017 by Diamondbacks
GENEVA – Ryan Grotjohn admits he's wondered it.
![What if he chose soccer instead of baseball and didn't get drafted?
"Definitely," Grotjohn said while nodding and sitting along the first base bleachers at Northwestern Medicine Field on Thursday during pregame.
Grotjohn joined the Cougars on Wednesday after a nine-game stop at advanced Single-A in Visalia, Calif.
The baseball/soccer question could seem strange to those on the outside who only know Grotjohn by his stat line or a brief personal bio as a former 10th round selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017.
"I remember [California State-Bakersfield] junior year I didn't get looked at a lot," said Grotjohn, a Bakersfield native, of his professional baseball prospects. "There were always those thoughts: 'Man, if I don't get drafted, would I regret giving up soccer?...even now, what could I have done with it?'"](bab0f50d-6cdd-4bc4-a4f9-6f2c3f3a5d03/image-pv_web.jpg)
What if he chose soccer instead of baseball and didn't get drafted?
"Definitely," Grotjohn said while nodding and sitting along the first base bleachers at Northwestern Medicine Field on Thursday during pregame.
Grotjohn joined the Cougars on Wednesday after a nine-game stop at advanced Single-A in Visalia, Calif.
The baseball/soccer question could seem strange to those on the outside who only know Grotjohn by his stat line or a brief personal bio as a former 10th round selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017.
"I remember [California State-Bakersfield] junior year I didn't get looked at a lot," said Grotjohn, a Bakersfield native, of his professional baseball prospects. "There were always those thoughts: 'Man, if I don't get drafted, would I regret giving up soccer?...even now, what could I have done with it?'"
He's not looking in the rear-view mirror much these days, however. Grotjohn is the highest drafted player in CSUB history.
Grotjohn was called up from Kane County to Double-A in early May, but only played one game before being shipped to Visalia on the west coast. To date, Grotjohn is batting .163 with six RBI and a home run through 23 games this season.
The 23-year-old once competed on an under-12 Arizona Olympic Development Program soccer team that travelled around for two weeks facing players from all over the world.
At Brophy College Prep in high school, Grotjohn won two state titles in varsity soccer as a centerback. A number of colleges, suffice to say, yearned for his soccer services.
Grotjohn, who balanced varsity soccer and baseball, always knew the latter was his life ambition. An epiphany during a club soccer practice following his senior year sealed the deal.
"I just stopped and said: 'You know what? I'm good,'" Grotjohn recalled. "I don't need to play soccer; I want to play baseball."
A phone call from the Diamondbacks a number of years later rewarded his commitment to baseball. Grotjohn grew up watching the likes of Derek Jeter, but Diamondbacks left fielder, Luis Gonzalez, was his favorite player.
Grotjohn getting drafted by the hometown team is noteworthy in its own right, but he thought he'd get selected perhaps by the Los Angeles Dodgers or the Chicago Cubs instead.
Arizona was the last of multiple clubs to get in touch with him right before the end of his senior season. When the 10th round came, the dream became realized in his living room surrounded by family.
Now, he's living the familiar lifestyle to all aspiring professional players: Early morning flights, visiting states he's never been in and trying to manage the inevitable stresses and exhaustion that comes.
Thankfully, the Midwest League All-Star break is in sight for the Cougars where it'll span three days before returning to action on the road June 21. The MWL All Star game, where five Cougars have been selected to play in, is June 19.
"It's definitely been a journey, man," Grotjohn said. "I've gone to so many different places and played with so many different players...I'm excited for the All Star break, and [it'll] give me a few days to rest."