by TYLER HATHAWAY
Greece Athena’s Casey Saucke II was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 MLB Draft last weel. The former ballplayer for the University of Virginia described the day, and the feeling of being drafted, as a childhood dream come true.
“It was the best day of my life,” Saucke told 13WHAM’s Dan Fetes during a Zoom call. “ It’s been pretty crazy, I had a big party, had my family, close friends over. The Saucke household was pretty packed.
“I was nervous, I was excited. I felt confident in my position, and I know the value I can provide to a team. I was kind of that nervous, anxious, but also excited feeling. It’s like before you play in a playoff game, it’s a really comparable feeling.
“As soon as I got the phone call, I was on top of the world,” said Saucke. “I actually broke out into tears. I’m not a big crier, but I cried. I’m not afraid to admit it, it was a special moment for me, and I couldn’t hold back there.
Baseball runs in the Saucke family. His father, Casey Saucke I played baseball, and so does his brother, Sammy. Saucke attributes part of his success to coming from that history.
“Growing up, I was at the ballpark with my dad until 9:00, 10:00 at night, we would just take batting practice on the field until there was no sunlight anymore. That’s where it came from, that’s where it started.”
Another Rochester native, Penfield’s Gage Ziehl, was also selected in the fourth round, by the New York Yankees.
“I am so happy for Gage, we have known each other for a long time, kind of grew up playing together,” explained Saucke. “Rochester’s big, but we are in the baseball community together. We’re just hoping we can carry that (Rochester) legacy forward.”
Saucke’s minor league assignment has not yet been announced.
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