Quartet Of Sharks Reaches Major Leagues
Flinging It: Former pitcher for Miami Dade College Derek Law pitches on May 20 during the second inning of a game versus the Chicago Cubs.
Four former Miami Dade College baseball players, made their Major League Baseball debuts this season.
Outfielder Jabari Blash made his debut with the San Diego Padres on April 4; pitcher Derek Law debuted on April 15 with the San Francisco Giants; outfielder Brian Goodwin was called up by the Washington Nationals on Aug. 10, and pitcher Jharel Cotton made his first appearance with the Oakland Athletics on Sept. 7.
“It is a big thrill for all of us coaches,” said MDC Head Baseball Coach Danny Price. “For anybody that’s ever had an opportunity to coach a player, they sign a professional contract, and gets to Major League Baseball, it’s quite a thrill.”
Even more remarkable is that Law, Goodwin and Cotton were roommates at MDC during the 2010-11 season.
“We were actually pretty close,” Goodwin said. “We lived together. Did everything together. Played together. We were like brothers.”
The trio remembers their time at MDC fondly.
“It was great. We played video games, we played basketball, watched shows all the time together,” Cotton said. “The bond was there. We had a great time of course and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.”
Base Knock: On Aug. 6, former outfielder for Miami Dade College and first round pick Brian Goodwin connects a hit in a game versus the San Francisco Giants.
Blash was the first one of the four drafted. He was selected in ninth round by the Texas Rangers during the 2009 MLB amateur draft.
Cotton, Law and Goodwin were also drafted in the 2011 MLB amateur draft. Goodwin was the first one of the trio to get picked. He was selected in the first round by the Washington Nationals.
Law was drafted in the ninth round by the San Francisco Giants and Cotton was selected in the 28th round by the New York Mets but never signed. Cotton was drafted again the following year by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 20th round. This past August, he was traded to the Oakland A’s.
The course of their baseball lives has taken them to vastly different places, but they don’t rule out being reunited one day.
“Jharel lives on the other side of the bay now, so who knows, maybe we will be living together again,” Law said. “But it’s really awesome to see [Cotton and Goodwin’s] careers progress with such success.”
