Pirates Take Shortstop In MLB Draft

Nick Gonzales knew that multiple mock drafts predicted the Pittsburgh Pirates would take him in the first round of the MLB Draft, and it started to feel real when he saw a photoshopped image of him in a Pirates uniform.  When the New Mexico State middle infielder was still on the board Wednesday night, the Pirates used the No. 7 overall pick on a player who developed from a walk-on into one of college baseball’s best hitters.  “Now, it’s a dream come true,” Gonzales said. “I’m incredibly fortunate to be able to do that. I’m kind of a comeback story. I was a walk-on. To lead into this, it’s awesome for me and awesome for kids who aren’t highly recruited in college or out of high school or whatever. It just proves to them that with hard work and determination it can really happen. Gonzales is renowned for his bat and plate discipline, as he slashed .448/.610/1.155 and led the NCAA in home runs (12), RBIs (36), runs (28) and total bases (67) in 16 games this season. He had 11 more walks than strikeouts and finished his career with an 82-game streak of reaching base.