Hoppy to turn pro, sign with Orioles
Published: August 16, 2009, 11:14 pm
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Kyle Hoppy is about to become the newest member of the Baltimore Orioles organization.
The Orchard Park graduate confirmed Sunday night he's flying to the Orioles' new spring training site in Sarasota, Fla., either today or Tuesday to make his signing official. Hoppy was drafted as a center fielder by the Orioles in the 28th round of the amateur draft in June. He faced a major league deadline of midnight tonight to come to agreement on the terms of a deal.
The decision to sign was a tough one for Hoppy, who in February accepted a grant-in-aid to Bucknell University to play baseball and football.
He struggled all summer before the Orioles made the offer he'd been waiting for.
"Bucknell was such a great thing, but I'm getting my career started now," said Hoppy. "It was tough to do that to them [Bucknell] at such late notice, but [I] told them when I got drafted this might happen. I kept them up to date, and they were really grateful. This is something I've always wanted to do since I was a little kid. It's like a dream come true."
Hoppy said the Orioles' inability to sign many of the picks taken higher than him freed up some money. He wouldn't say how much money his signing bonus was, but did say he's getting fifth-round money. The recommendation from the baseball commissioner's office for fifth-round picks is between $150,000 and $200,000. The offer also includes money toward college tuition. He's likely to take online courses when time allows.
Hoppy credited Paul Hollins with the negotiations. He would have lost his amateur status had he hired an agent, but hewas allowed to have an adviser. Hollins, a fellow OP grad who played in the minors from 1981-86, served as the liaison.
"He liked to call himself the mediator," said Hoppy. "The negotiations went on for a couple weeks, and then just recently they came to a certain number that was right in my price range."
Because he's signing so late, he will not play for the Orioles' short-season rookie league team in Bluefield, W. Va. Players need at least seven days of practice to be eligible and there's only two weeks left in the season. In two weeks he'll report to Sarasota for five weeks of the fall instructional league.
Hoppy was named the Western New York Player of the Year in baseball after being selected All-WNY for the second year in a row. In football, he quarterbacked OP to the New York State Class AA championship. He said he thought baseball provided the best opportunity for him to make it in a pro sport.
He was the first high school player from WNY to get drafted since North Tonawanda's Ricky Brooks was chosen by the Chicago White Sox in 2003. St. Francis graduate Jim Negrych likely would have been picked that same year, but informed scouts he would attend college at Pitt. He was picked by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2006.
"In this area you only get to play baseball a few months a year, and not too many people get drafted," said Hoppy. "I'm so blessed [regional scout] Keith Connolly saw me and saw something good. It's time to show the rest of the world the northeast states can play baseball, too."
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