Matzek selected 11th overall by Rockies

ANAHEIM - As a freshman, Tyler Matzek received a new, custom snowboard on Christmas morning. And to this day, the gift still sits underneath his bed, never once used.

For now, at least.

Matzek's heralded high school career came to a storybook ending with several awards, national attention and a CIF-SS Division I title. Now the Capistrano Valley senior might finally get to ride the snowboard as a reward for being selected 11th overall by the Colorado Rockies in the 2009 MLB First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday.

The left-handed pitcher did not rush to make decisions or assumptions after Commissioner Bud Selig called his name on the MLB Network, watched by dozens of family members, friends and teammates at the ESPN Zone.

Matzek, 18, knows it's the beginning of a long process — the business side of baseball he will experience for the first time.

"It's just someone calling your name," a subdued Matzek said afterward. "It means a lot on a personal level, but it doesn't mean a lot in a business way. It's just the start, it's really not anything huge, but it definitely means something.

"We'll just see how Colorado negotiates and what happens."

In the months before the draft, scouts projected Matzek anywhere from No. 3 to No. 10 overall. Behind closed curtains in his private viewing party, Matzek watched seven of the first 10 teams select pitchers.

Matzek estimated he received more than 20 text messages upon hearing his name, in what he described as a "text bomb."

"It was a big sigh of relief just to know somebody appreciated my abilities," Matzek said. "There's a lot of pre-negotiations and stuff, pre-talk, so you know where you should be drafted and what's going to happen before it happens."

His father Jeff said: "It was kind of nerve-racking at first. Sometimes you go into these thing and you think you've got it figured out, and you've got expectations. As things changed, I think I did start getting butterflies."

Unless both parties reach a deal before Aug. 15, Matzek plans to attend Oregon and go to summer school. He said he feels more confident as a pitcher, but said the Ducks want him to play first base. He finished his senior season with a 13-1 record and 0.98 ERA, and batted .404 with eight home runs.

"I feel like I have a lot to offer to both college and Major Leagues, either road I go," Matzek said. "College I think I'd be more well used. I'd be a two-way player instead of just a pitcher. So it's really which road you want to go to see which position you want to play."

Matzek is represented by Newport Beach-based Legacy Sports after the six-month interview process during his junior year. About 30 potential companies were narrowed down in the interview process, which had companies watch his games then contact his parents.

"It's going to be a long negotiation, I have a feeling," Jeff Matzek said. "If the Rockies are serious about what they're doing, they'll get a deal done."

Two other county high school players were selected Tuesday in the MLB draft:

• El Toro shortstop Nolan Arenado (6-1, 205) was taken in the second round (59th overall) by the Colorado Rockies.

• Santa Margarita outfielder Trayce Thompson (6-3, 195) was taken in the second round (61st overall) by the Chicago White Sox.

The draft's first three rounds were held Tuesday. It will resume Wednesday (starting at 9 a.m.) for Rounds 4-30 and will the final rounds will be completed Thursday (starting at 8:30 a.m.).

- BRIAN PATTERSON, OCVarsity.com

Contact the writer: preps@ocregister.com