For senior Luke Wiechec, baseball is more than just a sport. It may also turn out to be a job. Luke is looking to play professionally during and after college, and has drawn the attention of many well-known teams, including the White Sox, Diamondbacks, and the Cubs.

Luke committed to Fresno State in early 2011, but it still remains to be seen which pro-ball team will pick up this hot-handed recruit.

“The draft is a really interesting thing. It’s not about where you get drafted, but how much they’re willing to pay, straight out of high school.” Luke said. “If I go pro, they’d have to pay for my school. It’d be a full scholarship for me.”

Fresno State, also Luke’s father’s alma mater, is a Division 1 school that attracted Luke from the start.

“The way they perceived me was honorary,” Luke said. “You knew that they really wanted me to play there, so I decided if they really want me, then that’s the team I’m going to play for.”

Fresno State also offers academic help for recruits to help offset the rigorous schedule required to play baseball professionally. As a recruit, Luke will be able to take advantage of the school’s tutoring program.

“I just have to make sure I stay on top of it, make sure I manage my time well, and it should be fine,” Luke said.

On top of the college coursework, Luke hopes to participate in the Rookie League, a professional league geared specifically towards fresh recruits. This farm league contains many of the well-known names in Major League Baseball, but is mostly a system to work raw recruits into “the bigs”. Most of these recruits are just out of college or high school.

Luke pitches for the Eagles and is a key part of the lineup. His 6’3” stature makes him an impressive figure on the center mound and his fastballs are notorious among the team, some of which have clocked at over 90 mph. This year he hopes to lead his team to a CCS championship victory.

It will be a serious commitment to follow his dream to play pro ball.

“It’s going to be baseball for life,” Luke said.