6/16/2010 -    Cody Anderson, the 6-foot, 4-inch pitcher who led Quincy High School’s baseball team to a section championship last year, was drafted in the 17th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft by the Tampa Bay Rays.
    Anderson was the 521st pick out of the 1,525 players selected in last week’s draft, which went 50 rounds over three days June 7-9.
    With 94-mph fast balls, Anderson was discovered by scouts while playing as a freshman at Feather River College this past season.
    After filling out paperwork, releasing his medical records and being showcased in Los Angeles and San Francisco, Anderson was aware he could be drafted, but was picked sooner than he expected.
    When his name was announced on television, Anderson was outside fixing his mom’s horse bridge that crosses a creek on his parents’ property.
    “My phone started blowing up,” said Anderson, referring to all the calls coming into his cell phone as soon as he was picked. “I was pretty amazed. After playing at Quincy High last year, it was a big step for one year.”
    A talented multi-sport athlete, Anderson originally wanted to be a center fielder until his pitching skills were discovered around two or three years ago.
    A representative from Tampa Bay visited Anderson at his home last Saturday, June 12, to negotiate a signing bonus.
    The day before the meeting, Anderson speculated that he might be offered from $50,000 to $100,000.
    This signing bonus is a one-time payment which commits players to an organization. After signing, players are paid a nominal monthly wage while playing rookie ball.
    During Saturday’s meeting, Anderson indicated he wanted to pitch for Feather River College one more season, so no dollar amount was discussed and nothing was signed.
    Rather than entering the minor leagues at a young age with little experience, Anderson reasoned he will probably go higher in next year’s draft after he proves himself more.
    Plus, Anderson would rather play for his local community rather than on the other side of his country.
    “I love Quincy,” said Anderson. “This is my hometown. These are my roots.”
    The Tampa Bay Rays will offer Anderson a dollar amount between now and the Aug. 15 deadline, but given Anderson’s relative inexperience, it probably won’t be enough to lure him away.
    In the meantime, Anderson is gaining experience this summer by playing for the Marysville Gold Sox, a team made up of collegiate baseball players.
    Last Friday, Anderson was brought in as a closer against the Nor Cal Longhorns and pitched in front of 3,000 spectators.
    With the distinct possibility of being drafted again in 2011, Anderson indicated he would be more likely to sign a year from now.