Hank Pantier

"We did it" - The line I told my dad while tackling him after hearing my name called in the MLB draft. An open letter to all future MLB draftees: The emotions you will feel this weekend are hard to put into words. It is a mix of fear, uncertainty, excitement, and gratefulness always tied into this thing called the MLB draft. Just know that you have earned it. The commitment no one saw, the late nights by yourself, and the self-belief are a big reason you are here. But they aren't the only one... The people on your bus helped to get you here. Your parents who took you to everything (and paid for it), that teammate that picked you up when you were down, and that coach that changed the trajectory of your career need to be celebrated. So let them know their impact. This experience will be a blur, and before you know it, you will be a minor leaguer. That is when the real journey starts. Don't lose sight of your dream; it wasn't getting drafted...it was playing in the big leagues. You will want to doubt yourself. You will face incredible challenges. You will wonder if this is the right path. My encouragement ~ Just keep going. Professional baseball will teach you more about life than it will about baseball. Whether you end your career with 10 games in AA or 10 years in the big leagues, you should celebrate that. You defied the odds every step of the way. That ability to overcome (when everyone said it was impossible) will carry you in everything you do in life. And lastly ~ Enjoy the journey. There will be a pull to always want the next thing. The callup. The contract. The recognition & applause. Yet the real joy comes in the journey. The bus ride. The card game. The clubhouse conversations. You will blink, and it will be over. So to all the players getting drafted this weekend. Good luck and welcome to the club.