Daulton Jefferies, Blake Cederlind taken in MLB draft

Daulton Jefferies was always going to be happy just to join the fraternity of ballplayers selected in the major-league draft.

But in a perfect world, the Cal ace and former Buhach Colony High School star admitted he’d love to play on the West Coast and go to the National League, so he could continue to hit. One out of two isn’t bad.

The Oakland A’s drafted Jefferies in Competitive Balance Round A, between the first and second rounds, on Thursday night, at No. 37 overall. Competitive Balance Round A picks go to teams in one of the 10 smallest markets or 10 smallest revenue pools.

“I had a pretty good idea going into the draft that I was going to go somewhere from the end of the first round to the middle of the second round,” Jefferies said. “Even knowing, it’s a pretty special thing when they say your name. Eric Byrnes read the pick. He was perfect, because he covers a lot of Pac-12 games and knew me really well. It made it even better.

“My mom went crazy and made her voice known. My dad was just really happy and proud. It was just a great thing to experience with my entire family.”

Jefferies said the whole crew gathered as his grandmother’s house to eat and watch the draft. And as soon as the celebrating died down, the group drove to Merced Mall to buy a bunch of A’s hats.

“It’s really the perfect situation for me,” Jefferies said. “I love Sonny Gray. Mark Canha and Marcus Semien are both Cal alums. Bob Melvin is a Cal guy. Spring training will be in Arizona, so my family will get to come watch me there. And I don’t presume anything, but if I get to play in A ball, I’ll be right here in Stockton.

“It’s a very exciting time for my family and (me).”

Less than 24 hours later, Merced College pitcher Blake Cederlind was taken in the fifth round (No. 165 overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday afternoon.

“Before the predraft workouts, I wasn’t sure where I would fall,” Cederlind said. “I was rumored to be around the 10th round. I started throwing the ball better. Word traveled quickly, and my stock started to improve heading into the draft. I had a call to go in the fourth round, but the money wasn’t right. We were looking for a good figure, and we got that from Pittsburgh.

“It’s a good organization that’s having success right now, and I look forward to maybe playing with (former Turlock teammate) Kevin (Kramer) again. I’m excited to start my pro career.”

Jefferies and Cederlind, former Central California Conference stars, took very different paths to the pros, but have both realized one of their ultimate goals.

Billy Beane, Oakland’s executive vice president of baseball operations, typically has chosen college, rather than high school, pitchers in recent drafts. The trend continued as the A’s took University of Florida southpaw A.J. Puk sixth overall and then Jefferies.

Few college pitchers are more polished than Jefferies. A shoulder strain limited him to eight starts this season, but he was sensational in those starts. The junior right-hander went 7-0 with a 1.08 ERA and 53 strikeouts against just eight walks in 50 innings.

After missing almost two months, he tossed eight shutout innings to close the season. Oakland obviously liked the medical reports on Jefferies, snapping up Jefferies with its Competitive Balance Round A pick.

“It’s a dream come true,” he said. “You play on Team USA and know all of those guys are going to be first-round picks. I’m just so honored and humbled to be a part of that group.

“I’m excited for what comes next. I’m looking forward to starting my pro career.”

Former Merced-area minor-leaguer and current Cal pitching coach Thomas Eager says Jefferies has everything it takes to succeed at the next level.

“I think the biggest difference for him this year was he was always a competitor, but he developed that willingness to win,” Eager said. “He’s probably going to laugh at me for saying it, but he already had two plus pitches, his fastball and his changeup. He had a curveball that I didn’t think was very good, so we got rid of it and added a cutter/slider. He was able to strike some guys out with it, and I think it’s only going to get better.

“His maturity, professionalism and work ethic are all things that are going to help him succeed in the pros. He’s a very low-maintenance, self-driven and quiet kid. He’s easy to coach and willing to make adjustments as needed.

“I’m always excited when a kid from the Central Valley gets drafted, but it’s an even bigger deal when it’s someone from the Merced area. I got to play with his brother (Jake Jefferies) growing up, so it was an honor more than anything else just to get to coach him.”

This story was originally published June 9, 2016 at 10:24 PM with the headline "Daulton Jefferies, Blake Cederlind taken in MLB draft."