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Baseball

Saint Leo pitcher signs with Mets

Saint Leo pitcher Dave Koons, the 809th overall draft pick, forfeited his remaining eligibility after his junior season.

By FRANK PASTOR
Published June 14, 2005

David Koons dreamed all his life of becoming a professional baseball player. On Saturday, he achieved his goal.

The way David Koons sees it, he can always finish his education later. But the chance to play professional baseball only comes along once in a lifetime.

The Saint Leo and former Robinson High pitcher on Saturday gave up his final season of college eligibility to sign with the New York Mets, who took him in the 27th round of Major League Baseball's first-year player draft.

"I kind of felt like if I didn't, I'd regret it," Koons said. "This is my chance to do it, so I did it."

Had he returned to Saint Leo, Koons, who is within 31 credits of his history degree, would have been the Lions' closer.

"He decided his time was now, and I'm all for it," Saint Leo coach Ricky Ware said. "His decision is his decision. It's something he's always wanted, and I back him completely."

Koons, the 809th overall pick, offered few details about the contract he and his family negotiated with the Mets other than to say it is a standard six-year deal under which the team will pay for him to go back to school.

"There's a little money involved," he said, "but not much."

Koons, 21, was one of 26 pitchers the Mets drafted, including three left-handers, and nine from scholastic programs.

He spent the past few days doing long tossing and agility drills at minicamp in Port St. Lucie. Koons is scheduled to report to Brooklyn of the short-season Class-A New York-Penn League on Wednesday, where he expects manager Mookie Wilson to use him in middle relief.

Brooklyn is a 45-minute train ride from the home of Koons' girlfriend, Jessica Davis, whom he met through a friend at Saint Leo.

"It hasn't even hit me yet, I'm just kind of going with it right now," Koons said. "It's not going to hit me until I get on the mound."

Koons has dreamed of playing professional baseball since he was a 4-year-old playing tee ball in Harrison, Ohio. He grew up a Cincinnati Reds fan but said he's happy to be with the Mets.

"Anywhere that would have taken me would have been great," he said.

A 6-foot-1, 180-pound right-handed reliever, Koons said he didn't think he had a chance to be drafted entering the season. But after a junior season in which he went 2-0 with a team-leading five saves and a 1.50 ERA and repeated contact with Mets scout Jon Bunnell, Koons figured he might be a late second-day selection.

"Getting called early the second day was kind of surprising," he said. "I didn't expect to go in the 27th round."

Koons said he didn't think waiting another year to sign would greatly improve his stock and might limit his bargaining power because he would have exhausted his college eligibility.

"I figured next year as a senior I would only get $1,000," Koons said. "If I did anything above that (this year), it would be worth taking."

For Ware, the news was bittersweet.

"He's a super kid and very deserving of it," Ware said. "I'm going to miss not just having him pitch for us, but having him around because he's a really great kid."

[Last modified June 14, 2005, 01:27:13]