Nick Pivetta is not so young that he doesn鈥檛 remember the beloved-by-Canadians but rarely-attended Montreal Expos.
The 20-year-old pitcher could become property of that franchise, now known as the Washington Nationals. The Victoria Eagles product, currently with the Victoria HarbourCats of the West Coast League, was selected 136th overall Friday in the fourth round of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft.
鈥淕oing to Washington is awesome. I鈥檓 very happy,鈥� said Pivetta, the 48th pitcher taken in the draft.
鈥淚 remember the Expos as a kid.鈥�
Pivetta was ranked 105th overall by Baseball America but didn鈥檛 panic as he watched the draft unfold on the Internet.
鈥淚 kept calm and was relaxed and just waited,鈥� said the Lambrick Park Secondary graduate.
Pivetta was 9-2 in 13 starts with a 3.36 ERA this season with New Mexico Junior College, and on Wednesday became the first winner ever for the HarbourCats in the franchise鈥檚 inaugural game in the WCL.
Pivetta was the third Canadian selected after Edmonton-born but Texas-raised pitcher Rob Zastryzny (41st overall to Chicago Cubs) and shortstop Tyler O鈥橬eill of Maple Ridge (85th overall to the Seattle Mariners) who plays for the Langley Blaze of the sa国际传媒 Premier League.
As of Friday, Pivetta did not know if he would opt to remain with the HarbourCats through the summer en route to the University of New Mexico of the NCAA in the fall, or join the Nationals鈥� minor-pro system.
The Nationals phoned right after selecting the six-foot-five, 215-pound Islander.
鈥淭hey said they would be in touch and call me again [today]. We鈥檒l talk money later. We鈥檒l figure it out,鈥� said Pivetta, who represented sa国际传媒 at the 2010 world junior championship.
