Mariners top draft picks never wavered in confidence, even when their parents did

While a lot of high school and college grads are struggling to land that first job out of school this summer, it’s not a problem for a trio of young men who know where they’ll be working for the foreseeable future – on the diamond.

It’s been a busy couple of months for 18-year-old Nick Neidert. There was the high school prom, graduation. Oh yeah, and then getting drafted by the Mariners with their first pick.

“It’s was quite nerve-racking especially with Ken Griffey Junior announcing my name. That was quite fulfilling right there,” Nick said as his family and friends stood by beaming.

It was also the culmination of a dream for the Atlanta-area teen, who got his first taste of the bigs this week when he visited Safeco Field with his family, met the players and coaches, and watched his hero Felix Hernandez take the hill in an epic matchup with the Giants.

But his mom, Joyce, admits she was never fully convinced he’d get here.

“Did you always know your kid would be a big league baseball player?” I asked her. “Absolutely not,” she laughed. “I always told him, ‘Pick another dream.’ I said it’s a perfect dream and all that kind of stuff, but what else do you want to do when you grow up, just to be on the safe side and everything? But no, it was a shocker.”

That seems to be a common theme. Hal Moore of Eugene, Oregon says even though, in recent years, the family hoped his son, Andrew, could go pro as he starred as a pitcher at Oregon State, they all realized it was a long shot at best.

“Before that, it was just fun watching him play and excelling every year, but big leaguer? Wow, that would be a long, long haul,” he said.

But even though the parents might have had their doubts, all three of M’s top picks agree they knew they would be pro ball players from a young age, including former University of Washington outfielder Braden Bishop.

“When I was nine, my dad had gotten me a little weight room set and I had printed out 2015 MLB draft and then posted it above all it so I could see it as a nine-year-old,” Braden said.

So where does all that drive come from? Andrew’s dad says it all came from within, and from a very young age.

“There were times we would come home and the first thing he would want to do is, ‘Let’s go play catch in the cul-de-sac.’ We would be playing catch for an hour after practice, until dad wore out. Then it was time for him to hit, and then he would hit by himself,” Hal said.

Still, Nick’s mom admits it wasn’t until the last year she actually believed it could actually happen, when she noticed a bunch of scouts at his games.

“And I asked my husband, ‘Who are they seeing?’ And he said, ‘Do you not realize it’s for your son?'”

Everyone realizes it’s still a long road ahead to make it to the majors.

Nick is beginning his journey to the bigs in rookie ball down in Arizona, while Braden and Andrew kick off their pro careers with the Everett Aquasox.

For Nick, there’s an additional challenge, getting over his fear of flying. After all, the Mariners travel more than any other team.

“Yeah, I’m kind of getting used to it – flying everywhere. But obviously, when I’m in the bigs, flying won’t be an issue for me,” he said with a smile.

“Not if, but when?” I asked him.

“Yes, sir,” he said assuredly.

They may be short on experience, but there’s one thing the M’s top draft picks aren’t lacking: confidence.

And all three hope it isn’t long before it brings them back here to Safeco Field.