#39 pick is in 2nd round
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GO BEARS!
Photo by Cal Athletics
Caleb Lomavita First Golden Bear Selected In 2024 MLB Draft
FORT WORTH, TX – California junior Caleb Lomavita became the first Golden Bear selected in the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft when he was selected Sunday by the Washington Nationals with the 39th overall pick. Lomavita's selection was a competitive balance pick and the final of nine selections between the first and second rounds.
Lomavita was the highest Cal pick by Washington ever and the fifth Golden Bear to be selected all-time by the Nationals, and the first since Darren Baker was selected by Washington in the 10th round (203rd pick overall) of the 2021 MLB Draft.
"It was pretty stressful," Lomavita said about his day on Sunday. "The draft started and name after name you're not hearing your name. You don't know what's going on, but you trust the process and you know that all of the work you've put in is going to pay off."
"Caleb is an elite catcher with the opportunity to have a tremendous career in professional baseball." Cal head coach Mike Neu said. "Caleb brings a lot to the table with his rare combination of power, speed and defensive prowess behind the plate. He had an outstanding three seasons for us and the Nationals are a lucky organization to have him."
Below are notes on Lomavita and Cal baseball in the MLB Draft. An extended bio on Lomavita is available by clicking on his name.
Lomavita Notes
Caleb Lomavita, C, 5-11, 200 (Ewa Beach, HI/California/Saint Louis HS)
Collegiate Career (California, 2022-24)
– Ranks among Cal's all-time leaders in total bases (431, No. 3), home runs (38, No. 7) and RBI (141, No. 9T)
– Played in and started 158 career games and hit .302 (201-665) with 135 runs scored, 36 doubles, two triples and 36 stolen bases in addition to his 38 homers, 141 RBI and 431 total bases
– Earned third-team Perfect Game All-American, second-team ABCA/Rawlings All-West Region, first-team All-Pac-12 and All-Pac-12 Defensive Team honors, while he was also a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy and Buster Posey Award as a 2024 junior when he played in and started all 55 games and hit .322 (73-227) with 55 runs scored, 13 doubles, one triple, 15 home runs, 52 RBI and 12 stolen bases, setting or equaling career highs in all but home runs and stolen bases
– An honorable mention All-Pac-12 as a sophomore in 2023 when he played in and started 48 of 52 games and hit .316 (65-206) with 47 runs scored, 13 doubles, a career-high 16 home runs, 43 RBI and nine stolen bases
– Earned Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American recognition in 2022 when he played in and started 55 of 56 games and hit .272 (63-232) with 37 runs scored, 10 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 46 RBI and a career-high 15 stolen bases
Cal Baseball MLB Draft Notes
– Cal has had 238 selections (208 players) all-time in the MLB Draft with at least one player selected in 57 of the 60 years since the MLB Draft began in 1965.
– The most Cal players ever selected in a single MLB Draft was in 1986 when nine Golden Bears were drafted, while the most Golden Bears ever selected in the first round of a single draft was in 1966 when right-handed pitchers Bill Frost (San Francisco Giants, first overall) and Andy Messersmith (California Angels, 12th overall), as well as shortstop Ted Parks (Baltimore Orioles, 16th overall) were taken.
– Cal has had 24 players drafted since Mike Neu became head coach following the 2017 MLB Draft including seven in 2019 that are tied for the third-most in school history.
– RHP Andy Messersmith was the first Cal baseball player to be selected in the MLB Draft when he was taken by the Detroit Tigers in the third round (53rd pick overall) and was one of four Golden Bears taken in the first-ever MLB Amateur Draft In 1965.
– OF Sam Chapman was the first former Cal baseball player to sign a professional baseball contract as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1938.
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