On the Clock...Pittsburgh Pirates First Baseman Rowdy Tellez

The Pittsburgh Pirates signed veteran free agent Rowdy Tellez to a one-year, $3.2MM contract this past off-season to play first base and add some left-handed power to their lineup. Tellez has struggled so far for Pittsburgh, hitting .208 with just two home runs. 

However, Tellez has had some success throughout his MLB career, hitting 21 home runs in 2019 with the Toronto Blue Jays and hitting 35 bombs just two seasons ago with the Milwaukee Brewers. For his career he is hitting .230 with 93 home runs in parts of seven seasons.

The seven-year veteran was drafted in the 30th round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of Elk Grove High School in California. Tellez was ranked as the 59th-best player available in the draft by Baseball America, but he was passed over as many teams thought he was going to honor his commitment to USC for a baseball scholarship. Draft Nation caught up with Tellez recently to go over his draft experience. 

Rowdy Tellez is on the clock…

Draft Nation

"Rowdy, you were ranked as a first-second round talent but went in the 30th round, why? Did your agent say something to the teams about college?"

Rowdy Tellez

“I believe a lot of scouts didn’t like how headstrong we were about college and those types of things, but the right scouts did their job because I really wanted to go play pro ball, I really never wanted to go to college.”

Draft Nation

"How long after you got selected by Toronto did things go through? Did they sign you right away?"

Rowdy Tellez

“I signed with like a minute left, I took it all the way to the deadline, I think I was the last player to sign. I had a feeling Toronto was going to put the money that I wanted in front of me, and ultimately they did.”

Draft Nation

"The day of the draft were you worried about where you would be selected? Were you sitting around all day watching and waiting to hear?"

Rowdy Tellez

“Lol, no I was actually playing pool basketball, I didn’t have a draft party. I had my family around me. We watched the first and second rounds on the first day and we were a little upset. I used this as fuel as the draft went on.”

Draft Nation

"Do you ever have any second thoughts about not going to college?"

Rowdy Tellez

“I just wanted to get started and play ball, I look back and by the time all those guys were getting drafted, I was already in AA about to start in AAA in 2016. I always felt like I was ready and wanted to start grinding right away.”