<p>INDIANAPOLIS</p>
<p>Roncalli graduate Nick Schnell worked hard to give himself two of the best baseball options possible.</p>
<p>He now knows which way to turn at this most desirable crossroads.</p>
<p>Earlier this month, Nick Schnell, a rangy four-year starter in center field at Roncalli whose high school exploits are the stuff of legend, was taken by Tampa Bay with the 32nd overall pick in the MLB draft earlier this month.</p>
<p>After much discussion with his family, Schnell is foregoing college baseball — he had signed a national letter of intent last November to play at the University of Louisville — to play rookie league ball in the Rays’ organization.</p>
<p>On Thursday, he signed a contract guaranteeing him a signing bonus of $2.3 million.</p>
<p>“I’m pretty excited. I just want to play baseball,” said Schnell shortly after the signing. “It’s a job now. But just because I signed doesn’t mean I’m done working.”</p>
<p>Not even close.</p>
<p>On Friday, Schnell reported to the Gulf Coast Rays, the franchise’s rookie-level affiliate in Port Charlotte, Florida. The Rays, who play in the southern division of the Gulf Coast League, don’t end their regular-season schedule until early September.</p>
<p>“I’m taking more of a business approach to it,” Schnell said. “It’s obviously a dream come true, so when it happened it was one of those things where I had to pinch myself. But now I look at it like I want to go out and play ball. And I’m excited to do so.”</p>
<p>Schnell wasn’t offered many quality pitches to hit — particularly as a senior. Nonetheless, he found a way to bat .535 and hit 15 home runs this spring for a Rebels squad that made it to a Class 4A regional.</p>
<p>Roncalli coach Aaron Kroll, who led the program to the 4A state championship in 2016 with Schnell manning center as a sophomore, has witnessed the physical and emotional growth of Schnell through the years.</p>
<p>“What impresses me most is there’s nothing on the baseball field that he can’t do,” Kroll said. “Truthfully, I saw when Nick was a sophomore he had the chance to do something special because of his work ethic. He’s the baseball equivalent of a gym rat, to be honest.</p>
<p>“This year is when he took his game to a whole new level. There were just some home runs and some catches he made where you were like, ‘Wow, that’s just not normal.’”</p>
<p>Schnell, recently honored as the Gatorade Indiana Player of the Year, finished his time at Roncalli holding six career and three single-season records.</p>
<p>All that was left to do was wait and see how the draft played out.</p>
<p>Schnell estimates there were 35 to 45 people at his family’s home when the draft took place the night of June 4.</p>
<p>They all nearly jumped out of their seats early on when the heard "Nick," but it was Oregon State shortstop Nick Madigral, the fourth overall selection by the Chicago White Sox.</p>
<p>Schnell waited and, finally, his patience was rewarded.</p>
<p>“I was super nervous. The whole day my stomach was kind of turning, but I was sitting there watching the draft with everybody,” Schnell said. “When they called my name is when I found out. And then I got a call about five minutes later from a (Rays) area scout.”</p>
<p>It didn’t take long for Schnell to go from knowing little about the Tampa Bay organization to a lot. Being assigned to Class A Port Charlotte makes you a Stone Crab, Double-A Montgomery, Alabama, and you’re a Biscuit. Suiting up for the Triple-A affiliate means being a Durham Bull.</p>
<p>“I had met with all 30 (MLB) teams, so I knew a lot about their minor league system,” Schnell said. “Nothing is really intimidating to me right now. If I can go out on the field and play, that’s what means the most to me.</p>
<p>“There are a lot of ladders to climb.”</p>
<p>It starts in Port Charlotte, though Kroll won’t be surprised if Schnell gradually graduates to new levels of baseball competition as he pursues his dream of playing professionally.</p>
<p>"Nick just needs to go on and be himself and continue with that work ethic he’s always had, and he’ll be fine," Kroll said.</p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="Nick Schnell bio" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>THE SCHNELL FILE</p>
<p>Name: Nick Schnell</p>
<p>Age: 18</p>
<p>Ht. 6-2</p>
<p>Wt. 180</p>
<p>Born: Indianapolis</p>
<p>Family: Parents, Jay and Angie; brother, Aaron, 22; sister, Bailey, 21</p>
<p>High school: Roncalli</p>
<p>Position: Centerfield</p>
<p>Drafted: 32nd overall by Tampa Bay in the 2018 Major League Draft</p>[sc:pullout-text-end]
