Hendricks, Farkes Taken in MLB Draft

For the vast majority of Harvard College’s Class of 2004, longtime childhood hopes of playing professional baseball have long since been replaced by aspirations for the stolid world of grad school, investment banking and adulthood.

Trey Hendricks, congratulations on singularly keeping the dream alive.

Selected in the 24th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft, Hendricks—Harvard baseball’s co-captain and a government concentrator—will look to head west after graduation to enter the Arizona Diamondbacks minor league system and begin his climb of the professional baseball ladder.

“I’m excited about the opportunity that Trey got,” baseball head coach Joe Walsh said. “I look forward to following him. It’s just unfortunate because their ballclub is in Washington [state].”

The 716th pick overall, Hendricks was chosen with his future as a first or third baseman in mind, taken for his offensive talent rather than the at-times tireless pitching arm which won him Ivy League Pitcher of the Year. Impressively, the Spring, Texas native ranked sixth in the country in hitting, winning the Ivy League batting crown with a .427 mark.

“I’m so happy for him, he deserves everything he’s gotten,” fellow draftee sophomore Zak Farkes said. “It was a perfect spot in going to Arizona.”

Indeed, to Walsh, Hendricks and the Diamondbacks organization are a prime, logical fit. He said that he was “not surprised by the selection,” and points in particular to a positive relationship between the senior and Arizona’s Boston-area representatives which developed prior to draft day.

“They came and got to see him near the end of the season,” Walsh said. “And when Trey went out to their training camp, he put the ball in the upper deck twice, right-handed and left-handed.”

Notably, however, Hendricks was curiously not amongst the first crop of Ivy Leaguers selected, a head-scratching fact only compounded by the comparative statistical performances of the players chosen.

Of the six position players taken before him—four of whom are from Princeton—none exhibited the same measurable level of hitting ability, power numbers or run production that Hendricks did this season or over their respective careers.

But, as Walsh notes—utilizing out the current buzzword of baseball analysts—it all comes down to “tools,” or projected physical skills—the same ones Tiger centerfielder B.J. Szymanski purportedly possesses five of.

“Trey is a ballplayer,” Wash distinguishes. “He gets the job done, he gets clutch hits, and he wins. That’s what he’s recognized as by the league. He gets put on All-Star teams, and he had a great year, a great career.”

FROM BOSTON TO BOSTON?

Sophomore infielder Zak Farkes, a 39th round choice to his hometown Boston Red Sox, will have a similar opportunity to join pro baseball, if he chooses to pursue it.

The 1,175th pick in the draft, the selection was especially meaningful because Farkes, the Massachusetts native, grew up mere blocks away from Fenway Park, idolizing the team for almost his entire life.

“It’s an absolute dream come true,” Farkes said. “I’ve wanted to play for them since I was three, and I’ve been to games since I was five. It’s just unbelievable.”

Although his slot in the overall draft, like Hendricks’, is low relative to his statistics—he led the Ivy League in home runs with 14 this season, and is Harvard’s career leader as a sophomore—he and Walsh quickly cite his unique status as a draft eligible sophomore as a contributing factor. The Major League Baseball draft rule requires players to either be in their junior year, or age 21. Farkes turned 21 literally days before the draft.

“Really, I’m lucky to have a chance to get drafted,” Farkes said.

Walsh agrees, specifically alluding to a bit of confusion for some organizations.

“Zak’s draft position does not reflect his ability as a ballplayer,” he said, matter-of-factly. “It’s just that not a lot knew about him. Our phones ended up ringing late.”

The other relevant issue is that of “signability,” Walsh said, referring to the same reason that the San Diego Padres passed on Long Beach State ace Jered Weaver. While in Weaver’s case it is money, the concern with Farkes was education. “If they don’t draft him in the first couple of rounds, they ask themselves, ‘What are the chances of him leaving a school like Harvard?’”

Today, Farkes weighs his options, a calculus impacted largely by his performance in summer league action in the prestigious Cape Cod league.

“What I’m going to do now is go to the Cape,” he said, “and if [the season does not go as planned], then I’ll return to Harvard. I’m not going to discuss anything until after the Cape season is finalized. But it’s a win-win either way.”

The future for Farkes, however—should he stay—looks exceptionally bright.

“Junior year, he’s going to be eligible again. And if he stays strong and healthy, he’s going to be tremendous,” Walsh said. “I think that’s his year.”

—Staff writer Pablo S. Torre can be reached at torre@fas.harvard.edu.