(Left) Zach Bravo pitches during the KJCCC playoffs in May. (Right) Bravo warms up for a Newton Rebels game, a team he played for this summer. Photos by (top) Ed Bailey and (bottom) Cat Gonzales

Matthew Will
Editor-in-Chief

For former Butler Grizzly pitcher Zach Bravo, playing in the major leagues was always a dream. On Wednesday, June 5, he took a step closer to the dream. With the 21st pick in the 29th round (878th overall pick) of this year’s Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player’s Draft, the Tampa Bay Rays selected Bravo.

“It is unbelievable,” Bravo said. “It is something I have worked the last 16 years of my life for.”

Bravo led the 2019 Butler pitching staff last season, with 80 full innings pitched. His 7-4 record included five complete games, a team high. Bravo struck out 97 batters in his sophomore season, averaging almost 11 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.

Despite being drafted, Bravo has been committed to Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas since November of last year. Even though Bravo wanted to play professional baseball, playing Division I college baseball was also a dream of his.

“My main goal now is to win,” Bravo said. “I’m working on my slider and polishing up some other stuff that I felt I needed to give attention to.”

Lamar, a Division I school in Texas, is known for their quality play on the field. They have appeared in 14 NCAA Regionals and have been crowned conference champions 11 times.

“It was kind of a no brainer to go out and sign [Bravo]…,” Lamar University Head Coach Will Davis said. “He already has three plus pitches, which is really exciting to see for a guy with his kind of arm and his velocity… He offers a really good breaking ball and a really good change-up.”

Davis has been in close communication with Bravo and his family throughout the months since Bravo signed with Lamar.

“We actually did an in-home visit with him and his family,” Davis said. “We talked about the benefits and how some of the odds are stacked against you when you are drafted that low… And unfortunately, when you are drafted in the 29th round, your chances are pretty low… [Bravo] and his family agreed he could probably benefit from another year of college baseball.”

On Tuesday, June 25, Bravo announced on his Twitter than he would decline to sign with Tampa Bay to play college ball.

“I would like to thank the Tampa Bay Rays organization for taking my childhood dream of getting drafted and making it a reality!” Bravo said in the tweet. “But, after much consideration and talk with my family I have decided that I will not sign with Tampa Bay, and I will head to Lamar University for my junior year!”

By turning down the opportunity to sign, Bravo will have to get redrafted as the draft status does not carry over year-to-year.

For Bravo, the dream of becoming a major leaguer continues at Lamar. With confidence and support surrounding him, he knows he can earn another shot next June when the next MLB draft rolls around.

“If you work hard, good things will come,” Bravo said.