Seth Conner, Catcher?

When Toronto Blue Jays officials called Seth Conner and told him they were drafting him in the 41st round during last week’s draft, he was selected as an infielder. When word got back to Conner that they wanted to see if he could catch, it broadened his baseball vocabulary.

“I guess infield means catcher, too,” the recently-graduated Rogersville native said.

Conner said Midwest Nationals coach Randy Merryman told him that the Blue Jays want to see if Conner had any success behind the plate, using the athleticism that made him a top-notch infielder, a weapon at the plate and a local breakout star. While it’s less than likely Conner will be offered enough money as a 41st round pick to turn down his spot on Missouri State’s team next season, he’s obviously willing to do what it takes to get noticed.

“I’m not a financial guy. I’d rather take a few dollars and get started,” Conner said. “But, I’ve got the chance to go to Missouri State and improve my draft status. It’s a win-win for me, but I’m doing everything I can to impress them.”

To make things better, Conner has a 15-year MLB catching veteran in Charlie O’Brien to help. O’Brien is a coach for the Nationals and is trying to whip him into shape over the next three weeks to entice the Blue Jays. Conner caught during Tuesday’s game against the Ozark Generals at Meador Park. Merryman likes to use the Nationals’ midweek games as ways to fine-tune some skills and try some different combinations.

It didn’t start out so well.

“The first innings were rough. I wasn’t even catching the ball, at first,” he said. “Getting a glove on it, but was letting runners advance. I did better blocking and receiving as the game went on.”

He also said three baserunners tried to steal. The first was safe as he lost the ball on the transfer, but he gunned down the next two out.

“That felt good,” he said.

Conner knows he’s a candidate for the draft-and-follow strategy. The team will follow him up until the mid-August deadline and at the end, likely offer him a contract. How much depends on what type of money their top picks sign for and how much they think he’s worth.

And if he doesn’t sign, it will be just it was when he was at Johnny Mac’s the day he was drafted. See, Conner had given up on being drafted after the 35th round came and passed. He was actually at the southside Springfield sporting goods store looking for an aluminum bat to use at Missouri State.

And maybe as a sign that he’s not ready to give up on his immediate MLB future, he didn’t buy that aluminum bat.

“They didn’t have the one I wanted,” Conner joked.