The baseball gods were looking out for Trever Adams.

The Creighton outfielder dozed off Tuesday afternoon while following Major League Baseball’s first-year player draft. He awakened one pick before he saw his name pop up on his computer screen as a 16th-round pick of the Texas Rangers.

“I didn’t have a particular team that I wanted to pick me," Adams said. “I just wanted an opportunity, and I was going to be happy with whoever selected me.

“At the same time, I do follow the Rangers and I like a lot of the guys they have playing on the major league level. It’s been an exciting run here at Creighton, and now I’m looking forward to what’s ahead for me."

Adams’ teammate, Jonas Dufek, heard his name called seven rounds earlier as the Houston Astros selected him in the ninth round with the draft’s 280th pick. The senior out of Millard West became the highest-drafted Bluejay since Zach Daeges went in the sixth round (193rd pick) of the 2006 draft.

“I had talked with some teams that told me I could expect to go between the eighth and 13th rounds," Dufek said. “I also heard from some teams that asked if I wasn’t drafted if I would be interested in signing as a free agent.

“So I really had no idea where I would go."

Dufek and Adams closed out their Creighton careers with outstanding senior seasons that earned each a spot on Collegiate Baseball’s third-team All-America squad. Adams, from Lincoln Southeast, led the Bluejays in almost every offensive category and finished with a .387 batting average, 14 home runs and 57 RBIs.

Dufek posted a 12-1 record and a 2.08 ERA while limiting opposing hitters to a .198 batting average. His 128 strikeouts in 2011 were the second most in a season, and his 244 career strikeouts are seventh in school history.

Neither player was drafted out of high school.

“I can’t really say enough about the coaches at Creighton," Dufek said. “They stressed every day what we needed to do to become better players. They put in the work to help make me a better player. All I had to do was buy in to what they were saying.

“Coming out of high school, I didn’t know if I would ever have a chance to be in this position. I wanted to think that I would be, but you’re never really sure."

Adams said he considered playing professional baseball “a dream” when he finished his high school career. Two seasons at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College got him thinking that he might have a chance to continue playing after college.

Spending two seasons at Creighton, Adams said, helped refine his skills on and off the field.

“I got so much out of being a part of this team," Adams said. “It helped me become the ultimate team player. This is a program that helps guys succeed, and I owe all the credit to coach (Ed) Servais.

“He helped me so much with my game, especially on defense. I learned the mechanics of hitting at Hutch, but coach Servais helped me with my approach to hitting and my consistency. That’s something he really stresses."

Adams and Dufek each said they spoke briefly with representatives of the teams that drafted them.

“They told me they would contact me after the draft and we could start talking contract and things like that," Dufek said. “I want to sign as quick as I can and get down to short-season rookie ball. I’m excited to get this all started."

Contact the writer:

402-679-2298, steve.pivovar@owh.com

twitter.com/PivOWH

« Sports - Bluejays Today

Share