Senior outfielder Billy “Bubba” Bell became the second player from the 2005 Colonel baseball squad to be drafted when the Boston Red Sox selected him in the 39th round on the final day of the two-day Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on June 8.Bell signed his contract last Wednesday as the 1187th overall pick. He joins senior infielder Anthony Hatch as the two Colonels who were drafted this year. Hatch was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 13th round on the first day.
Bell was in Fort Myers, Fla., as of last Thursday where he will be playing with the Gulf Coast Red Sox, the Boston Red Sox’s rookie team in the Minor League.
Fort Myers is where the rookie baseball camp for all the new players is held. Rookies play here until the Red Sox decide where to send them.
Bell said his time at the rookie camp could be very short or very long.
“It could be a week or the rest of the summer,” he said. “I’m pretty confident to say I’m not going to be here the whole summer.”
As to where Bell would be sent after rookie camp, there are six potential teams.
He could be sent to the Lowell Spinners in Massachusetts, where the short season in Class A is, the regular Class A Greenville Bombers in South Carolina and the advanced Class A Wilmington Blue Rocks in Delaware. Bell could also be sent to Double A Portland Sea Dogs in Maine or the Triple A Pawtucket Red Sox in Rhode Island.
Bell said the opportunity to play in the major leagues is a goal he has been working to achieve.
“It’s the dream of a lifetime-the goal I’ve been shooting for. Probably I can say it’s the best feeling in the world.”
Bell, who practiced for the first time last Thursday, said he thought he did well.
He said the practices are actually more relaxed compared to the ones he went through at Nicholls.
“It’s a time when they get you into camp and see what kind of player you are,” he said. “They’re not going to drill anything into your head. If you’re making a mistake, they’re going to tell you, but it’s more laid back actually.”
Bell said his day starts out at 5:45 a.m. He is at the park for 6:30 a.m. where he works out from 6:45 a.m. to 8 a.m. From 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., he is on the field for batting practice and defensive drills. Lunch is from 11 a.m. to noon. before he is taken back to the hotel where he is on his own for the rest of the day.
Hatch’s baseball career has also recently begun.
According to Hatch’s mother, Robin Hatch, Anthony Hatch signed his contract last week. She said he is currently living in Pulaski, Va., and playing for the Pulaski Blue Jays, the Toronto Blue Jays Rookie Advanced minor league team.
Robin Hatch said her son would be seeing the field quite often dividing his time between first and third base.
Before joining the Pulaski Blue Jays, Hatch went to Dunedin, Fla., for a five-day minicamp.
Robin Hatch said her son has been enjoying his major league experience so far.
“He said the pitching is amazing,” she said. “He said every pitcher he faced pitched a minimum of 90 miles per hour. In every practice so far he’s felt comfortable coming back from his hamate bone (injury).”
Robin Hatch said there is a chance he could move up to Auburn, N.Y., to play for the Class A Auburn Doubledays. If not, he will finish his season with the Pulaski Blue Jays.
