SEATTLE — Listening to center fielder Kyle Lewis shortly after he signed his contract with the Seattle Mariners and took part Saturday in batting practice … maybe this was meant to be.
“I used to always wear a Mariners hat to high school,” revealed Lewis, whom the Mariners selected Thursday with the 11th overall pick in the MLB Draft.
“I was always in pictures in a Mariners hat. So for me to be able to meet these guys, and for him (Robinson Cano) to give me a bat, was a dream come true for me and a really humbling experience.”
Lewis, 20, went to high school in Snellville, Ga., and later blossomed into a first-round talent at Mercer University in Macon, Ga.
So … why a Mariners cap?
“I don’t know, man,” he said. “It was something that just drew me to it. It drew me to the hat.”
The Mariners didn’t expect Lewis to be available when they picked. Baseball America ranked him as the No. 4 prospect available. General manager Jerry Dipoto recalled hearing about Lewis from amateur scouting director Tom McNamara.
“He came into my office in Peoria (Ariz.) in March after coming back from seeing Kyle Lewis,” Dipoto said. “He said, ‘Jerry, I just got back from seeing a kid at Mercer. I said, ‘Mercer?’
“And he said, ‘Yeah, Mercer. This kid can hit. He might be the best player in the country.’ The he started rolling through (the possibilities) and said, ‘He’s not going to be there.’ And he dejectedly put his head down and started to walk out.
“I said, ‘Mac, the draft is a funny thing.’”
The Mariners had a loose deal in place when they selected Lewis, who made it clear he was eager to start his career.
Lewis flew Friday to Seattle for a physical examination. When it revealed no concerns, he signed a deal for the MLB-assigned slot bonus of $3,286,700.
“I had the contract pretty much ready to go,” Lewis said. “So I figured, ‘Why not?’ Let’s get up here and get going.”
Plans call for Lewis to begin his pro career at Short-A Everett, which opens its season Friday at Tri-City (Padres). What hasn’t been determined is when Lewis might head first to the Mariners’ complex in Peoria, Ariz., for conditioning.
But club officials say it’s possible that Lewis might be with the AquaSox on Wednesday when they play their annual exhibition game against the Everett Merchants.
Either way, Lewis can’t wait to get started.
“I have a lot of confidence in my ability,” he said, “and what I’m able to bring to a team. For me, I just can’t wait to get working.
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