“It’s an absolute dream come true,” Farkes said. “I’ve wanted to play for them since I was three, and I’ve been to games since I was five. It’s just unbelievable.”

Although his slot in the overall draft, like Hendricks’, is low relative to his statistics—he led the Ivy League in home runs with 14 this season, and is Harvard’s career leader as a sophomore—he and Walsh quickly cite his unique status as a draft eligible sophomore as a contributing factor. The Major League Baseball draft rule requires players to either be in their junior year, or age 21. Farkes turned 21 literally days before the draft.

“Really, I’m lucky to have a chance to get drafted,” Farkes said.

Walsh agrees, specifically alluding to a bit of confusion for some organizations.

“Zak’s draft position does not reflect his ability as a ballplayer,” he said, matter-of-factly. “It’s just that not a lot knew about him. Our phones ended up ringing late.”

The other relevant issue is that of “signability,” Walsh said, referring to the same reason that the San Diego Padres passed on Long Beach State ace Jered Weaver. While in Weaver’s case it is money, the concern with Farkes was education. “If they don’t draft him in the first couple of rounds, they ask themselves, ‘What are the chances of him leaving a school like Harvard?’”

Today, Farkes weighs his options, a calculus impacted largely by his performance in summer league action in the prestigious Cape Cod league.

“What I’m going to do now is go to the Cape,” he said, “and if [the season does not go as planned], then I’ll return to Harvard. I’m not going to discuss anything until after the Cape season is finalized. But it’s a win-win either way.”

The future for Farkes, however—should he stay—looks exceptionally bright.

“Junior year, he’s going to be eligible again. And if he stays strong and healthy, he’s going to be tremendous,” Walsh said. “I think that’s his year.”

—Staff writer Pablo S. Torre can be reached at torre@fas.harvard.edu.