LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.’s
Travis Tartamella was one of four California Collegiate Athletic Association players chosen on Day 2 of Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft.
Tartamella was selected in the 19th round by the St. Louis Cardinals. The junior catcher, who earned All-CCAA and All-West Region honors this past season for the Golden Eagles, helped lead Cal State L.A. to a 32-17 overall record and into the four-team CCAA Championship Tournament for the third time in four years.
He hit .301 with eight home runs and 40 runs batted in for the Golden Eagles in 2009. He is also regarded as one of the top defensive catchers in the region. He also played well in the CCAA Championship Tournament and earned All-Tourney honors.
“My dad and I were sitting at home and looking at the computer and it popped up. My mom was here with us, it was pretty exciting,” Tartamella said. “It was a great feeling to know I’ll be getting an opportunity to play at the next level. I’m very appreciative of it.”
This is the second time Tartamella has been drafted. He was also taken in the 50th round out of high school by Tampa Bay. He had a good inkling on Wednesday that his wait wouldn’t be nearly as long this time around.
“I thought I would go between the 10th and 20th rounds so I figured I’d go somewhere in that range,” Tartamella said. “I’m very thankful. The Cardinals are a great organization with great coaches.”
Tartamella came to Cal State L.A. after playing for two years at Pepperdine. He appeared in 35 games and started 21 times in 2008 and hit .207 in 92 at bats. As a freshman in 2007, he hit .254 with three home runs and 18 RBI. He also threw out 41 percent of would-be base stealers and was named to the West Coast Conference All-Freshman team.
He was the Baseline League’s Most Valuable Player at Los Osos High School and was a Playstation All-American. He was a three-time All-Baseline League first-team selection and competed in both baseball and football in high school.
He is a criminal justice major at Cal State L.A.
“I’m very happy for Travis and his family,” Cal State L.A. head coach Vince Beringhele said. “Now he gets to choose between two great options: play professional baseball or come back and play another year at Cal State L.A. and complete his degree.”
Tartamella was the fourth CCAA player selected on Thursday. Matt Hopps of Cal State Dominguez Hills was taken in the ninth round by the Chicago White Sox, Dakota Watts of Cal State Stanislaus was taken in the 16th round by the Minnesota Twins and Erick Carrillo of Cal State San Bernardino was taken in the 19th round by the Florida Marlins.
Cal State L.A. has now had players drafted in five straight years. Henry Contreras was a 24th-round pick in 2008 and Dustin Birosak and Darrick Hale were signed as free agents. Kurt Crowell and Adam Klein were drafted in 2007 and Jeff Carroll signed with Tampa Bay. Derrick Loop, a 2006 draft pick, was recently named to the Carolina League All-Star team. He will represent Salem of the Boston Red Sox organization in the California League/Carolina League All-Star game on June 23 in Lake Elsinore.
The final day of the draft – with rounds 31-50 – will take place on Thursday.