Top pick starts career in GCL

wanted in order to forego his TCU commitment that they drafted him 12th overall. Huntington was on the phone with Raj the next day. Baz agreed to terms ($4.1 million) within a week.

“We’re supportive of him, no matter what,” Raj Baz said. “Education is very important. But the bottom line is it’s his life, and he’s got to make his own decisions. We raised him up a certain way, both our kids, and we’re going to pick him up if he stumbles, no matter what happens.”

Baz apparently inherited that final notion. In January, Concordia Lutheran put their players through The Program, a company comprised of former military special ops personnel designed to improve teamwork through shared adversity. Day 2 of the activities involved a 5 a.m. pool workout, in which the players had to take off and put on sweatshirts while treading water. Baz would go under water and hold up teammates to help them after he completed his own switch.

“Even our Navy SEALs that came in were excited about watching him take the thing over,” Lynch said. “That’s what he did, he took the thing over.

“At the end of the two days, they give an award to who they think was the hardest worker and the best leader and showed the best leadership skills. And so the two guys told me, ‘Coach, Shane’s that guy.’

“They gave it to one of our outfielders because their thing was, Shane’s way different than the other kids anyway.”