New Orleans Athletics CommunicationsDuring the MLB Draft, the New York Mets picked a true star.
On Thursday evening, a feel good story began to surface from baseball's annual event.
According to ESPN, the New York Mets selected Eric Orze during the fifth round of the draft. And yes, he is a pitcher and two-time cancer survivor.
"Thank you to everyone for reaching out and celebrating this moment with me. The amount of love I've received is surreal and I wouldn't be here without all the continued support," Eric shared on Instagram. "Beyond blessed for the opportunity to call myself a New York Met #mlb #mlbdraft #mets."
Eric was a right-handed pitcher for the University of New Orleans. Because of his battle with testicular and skin cancer, he missed part of the 2018 season and all of 2019 to recover. But according to those who watched his story, Eric continued to persevere and prove his baseball skills.
"This is a kid that will not quit. He really won't," Mets vice president of international and amateur scouting Tommy Tanous said on a video call via ESPN. "Our scouts fell in love with his split-finger, to tell you the truth. He throws a heavy, heavy fastball and he uses that split as his out pitch, his strikeout pitch."
Tommy continued, "He accumulated tremendous numbers this year, and we felt it was a great value there. To get that kind of arm with that kind of out pitch there was a great way to end the draft. So, obviously, this is a high-makeup kid, high-quality kid who happens to have a really gifted pitch."
As the MLB continues to finalize plans for an adjusted 2020 season because of the Coronavirus, Eric continues to celebrate his latest accomplishment.
According to the New Orleans Advocate, Eric was surrounded by family and friends Thursday night when he learned the news that he was being drafted.
"I was trying my best not to cry and to hold it together," Eric confessed to the publication. "I can't even begin to tell you what it felt like or what I was thinking in the moment. It's a feeling I don't even know how to put into words. So much emotion and realizing all the hard work and all the people that supported me and all the opportunities. It all came together in that moment."