Tommy Birch | The Des Moines Register

As Connor Van Scoyoc sat in his living room and prepared for the Los Angeles Angels to make their 11th-round pick in the Major League Baseball Draft on Wednesday, he knew what was coming.

Long before the Angels announced their selection, the Cedar Rapids Jefferson right-handed pitcher had already agreed to forgo college and sign with the team.

So when the pick came out, Van Scoyoc had three computers set on the draft and was ready to hear his name called.

“I don’t know the exact words to describe it, but I got the chills when I heard my name called,” Van Scoyoc said.

Photo courtesy of Connor Van Scoyoc.

It was an exciting day for Van Scoyoc, a right-hander who plans to pass on playing at Arizona State next season and instead sign with the Angels for an undisclosed amount.

“I never dreamed of playing in Omaha and winning a College World Series,” Van Scoyoc said. “I always dreamed about playing at Wrigley Field or Busch Stadium — that’s where I want to be.”

That dream could now become a reality after Van Scoyoc said he agreed to sign with the Angels on Wednesday night if they selected him Thursday morning. Van Scoyoc, who was named the Gatorade Iowa Baseball Player of the Year for 2017-18 season, boasts a 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame and a low 90s fastball.

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He also comes from a baseball family: his father, Aaron Van Scoyoc, played minor league baseball, and his brother Spencer Van Scoyoc was a left-handed pitcher for Arizona State who was drafted by the Tornoto Blue Jays in 2016.

All those factors likely drew the attention of the Angels, who reached out to Van Scoyoc’s advisor Jay Franklin on Tuesday night. The Angels, who had an offer for Van Scoyoc, wanted to see if the pitcher would agree to a deal if they selected him Wednesday.

Van Scoyoc, who had just finished a game against Pleasant Valley, was still on the field with his teammates listening to Jefferson’s coaches talk when someone told him that he had a phone call he had to take. On the other end: Franklin, who laid out the Angels' offer. Van Scoyoc, who took the call behind the team’s dugout, made the decision right then that he wanted to sign with the Angels.

“I took a couple of deep breaths and I was, like, ‘I’ve got to make the move,’” Van Scoyoc said. “It’s what I wanted to do.”

Van Scoyoc said he plans to fly out to Arizona within the next week to begin his professional career. That means Van Scoyoc, who went 1-0 with a 0.72 ERA in two starts with Jefferson this season, is done with his high school career. Next up: professional ball.

"It's very exciting," Van Scoyoc said.

Other Iowans picked on the draft's final day:

Evan Reifert, right-handed pitcher, 30th round, Texas Rangers