CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Sinton community has another reason to celebrate their baseball team.
Former Sinton Pirate Blake Mitchell is now a Kansas City Royal. He is the highest Coastal Bend prospect since Burt Hooton was drafted in 1971.
Mitchell is also the seventh first round pick of the MLB draft in Coastal Bend history. He said he is happy to be one of those players, but ready to get back on the field.
"It means a lot, but the main thing right now, I just want to go play ball, you know. I haven't played in about a month, and it feels like forever," Blake Mitchell said. "So, I'm just ready to get back on the field and play."
More than 100 family and friends came to Back Street Restaurant in Sinton to watch the draft with Mitchell.
His mom Jennifer Mitchell said today's celebration was a culmination of everything he has accomplished so far in his baseball career.
"I think it is an understatement to say that I'm proud at this point, It really goes beyond that," Jennifer Mitchell said. "I'm proud of him, I love him, I cannot believe that we're here to this point, but I couldn't be more excited about it."
Mitchell was a state champion for the Sinton Pirates, part of his extensive winning experience in high school. His head coach Adrian Alaniz said that will prepare him for the next level as a pro.
"This is something that you, you want to be able to get paid to do what you love and dream to do and playing baseball's one of those things, and so, I think he's ready for that spotlight and that moment," Alaniz said.
Alaniz said Blake choosing to be with them in-person for the draft shows what kind of person he is and how he brings the Sinton community together.
Mitchell also said her son will forgo his scholarship to Louisiana State University and go pro.
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