Orioles Sign Sarasota Resident Sean McAdams

own Sean McAdams doesn't have to travel far for rookie camp with the Baltimore Orioles.

McAdams, a 2012 graduate of the private Catholic high school, grew up across from the 12th street ballfields and will report to camp this summer for the Orioles after he signed a professional baseball contract with the club. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"It's an honor to be drafted, especially by a great organization as the Baltimore Orioles," McAdams said. 

McAdams was formally introduced as an Oriole prospect at a press conference inside Ed Smith Stadium Wednesday afternoon beside scout Jim Thrift, who recruited the 6-foot-6, 215-pound right-handed relief pitcher.

The Orioles took McAdams in the 14th round of the First Year Player Draft as the 432nd overall selection.

Thrift is impressed with what he sees out of McAdams. 

"The biggest things that stand out for me is his athletic growth over the last nine to 12 months as a baseball player to playing football," he said. "Not only playing football — playing quarterback — going through that physical development and both strength and athletically."

Thrift also liked how McAdams' velocity on the ball has spiked during that same time getting speeds from the mid 80s to 90 to 93 mph combining with McAdam's large frame and room for growth and added strength.

"And most important his athletic ability — you can't miss something like that," Thrift said.  

So much so that colleges were looking at him for football, The Herald-Tribune reports:

He received offers from Marietta College in Ohio and Concordia University in Chicago, but opted to take the baseball route.

“It wasn’t that hard because they are D-3 schools, and I didn’t see myself playing Division III football,” McAdams said. “I didn’t see myself giving up baseball for Division III football.”

He even planned his college future, planning to attend Seminole State College in Heathrow, Fla., with professional baseball in mind.

“I didn’t want to go to a four-year school, because you get tied down for three years,” McAdams said. “I figured junior college would be better academically and professionally.” 

McAdams also played on first base when his coaches wanted to utilize his batting skills to drive in runs for the team. It's something that McAdams said he'll miss, but "pitching is my job now." 

McAdams' journey began when he was 4 years old, said his mother Ann McAdams.

"He loved the sport, and to see him to be able to play professional baseball across the street from where he started is a real great honor," she said. 

It took a lot of travel baseball every summer to keep his competitive fire and development continue over the years, she said, and his rise during high school paid off.

With a frame like Sean's, it's a wonder that there aren't other professional ballplayers in the family. 

"His father played some baseball in high school, which I think is where his athleticism came from, and his size comes from my side of the family," Ann McAdams said. "… The two combinations worked out pretty good for him, I think." 

A contract doesn't guarantee a spot in the Big Leagues, but the family seems to be prepared, having discussed the scenario. 

"He knows that he's very young and it could be a long road, and I think he's prepared for that," she said. 

Swift said McAdams is a lot like other drafted players who have a few things to work on to play with the Orioles one day — psychologically and physically. 

Those drafted players have to now realize "they're a professional now."

"All the things that entail being a professional from what you do at the park, what you do in the weight room, in the training room, how you prepare physically, mentally, your growth and maturity as an athlete, working with your coaches getting every bit of information from them to grow," Swift said.

And that's before the actual pitching comes in.

After rookie camp is probably a stint in the Gulf Coast League with the Orioles — a Minor League Baseball rookie league, Swift said.