With the seventh pick of the 29 round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft, the Miami Marlins selected Pacific’s own Walker Olis.
Olis shined for the Boxers in his senior season last year by breaking multiple school records in hits, walks and stolen bases.
He was named to the First Team All-American and was named the Northwest Conference player of the year in 2016.
In his final season as a Boxer he caught the attention of many MLB scouts, and sure enough he was drafted by the Marlins.
“It was very exciting and surreal,” Olis said. “When I heard my name called I was helping my dad around the house and he literally jumped in the air. That reminded me of all the hours of hard work put in, not only by me, but my coaches who molded me into the player I am, my teammates who always pushed me to become more and my parents who supported me through it all.”
After being drafted, Olis was sent to the Gulf Coast League where players go to hone in on their skills and adjust to the major league level.
Olis admitted that it was a bit of a grind but knows that the hard work will pay off in the end.
“I woke up every morning a 6 a.m. to start working out by 7 a.m. until about an hour before playing a game at noon,” Olis said. “By the end of the day you feel like you just had an eight hour practice.”
Currently, Olis is playing for the Batavia Muckdogs in Batavia, New York, which is a Short Season Single A team.
In his first two starts for the Muckdogs Olis batted second in the lineup and went three for eight with three base hits. He currently has a batting average of .256 with 10 total hits in 10 total games. Olis has also added 8 stolen bases in those games.
There Olis continues to battle players for playing time and a chance to display his skill set.
“Despite being a team game, there is always competition between individuals that play the same position in baseball,” Olis said.
Olis has accomplished a lot in the past year and continues to reach and surpasses his goals.
However, he has not forgotten the people and places that helped him get to where he is today.
“I think Pacific helped prepare me mentally for the challenges I have faced so far,” Olis said. “My time as a student-athlete at Pacific challenged me mentally every day and I am grateful to my professors and coaches for that.”
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