La Salle Institute senior Dave Roseboom, seen here pitching against Catholic Central during the 2010 season, was drafted Wednesday by the Boston Red Sox in the 47th round. (Photo by Tom Killips - The Record).

TROY - Dave Roseboom had his summer all planned out.

The recent graduate of the La Salle Institute, a lefthanded pitcher, would spend a good deal of his time preparing for another run to the Connie Mack World Series with the South Troy Dodgers.

When we wasn’t busy on the diamond, he could start thinking about what college life was going to be like at the University of South Carolina-Upstate, where he is headed on a baseball scholarship.

Then the Boston Red Sox called.

The Red Sox selected Roseboom with the 1,433 pick in the 47th round of Wednesday’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player draft.

Now begins a summer of contemplation for the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Pattersonville native.
"Honestly, I’m going to sit back and relax," Roseboom said by telephone Wednesday evening. "This is an honor and this is a really big deal. Right now, I’m still going to college, but I’ll play baseball this summer and see what happens."

The Red Sox retain Roseboom’s rights until 11:59 p.m. on August 15 or until Roseboom enters South Carolina-Upstate on a full-time basis. Should he turn down an offer from the Red Sox, Roseboom would not be draft-eligible again until after his junior season at college.

"It’s an honor and I’m very grateful for it all," he said. "There are a million kids like me who would love to be drafted."

Roseboom, an 18-year-old starting pitcher whose fastball topped out in the mid-80 mile-per-hour range during the 2010 high school season, also features a big curveball and a changeup. He guided La Salle Institute to a regular season title in the Big 10 Conference.

He may try to follow in the footsteps of former Big 10 and South Troy Dodgers pitcher Greg Holle, who was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 11th round of the 2010 draft after playing for three years at Texas Christian University. Holle, who was drafted in the 35th round straight out of Christian Brothers Academy in 2007, improved his draft stock with three years of college seasoning.

Former South Troy Dodgers pitcher Tim Stauffer, now with the San Diego Padres, was selected in the 36th round in the 2000 draft out of Saratoga Central Catholic, but after three years at the University of Richmond, was the No. 4 overall pick in 2003.

Tommy Kahnle, a Shaker High and South Troy product who was not drafted out of high school, was selected at the end of the fifth round in 2010 by the New York Yankees.

"I look up to those guys and I know them on a personal level as friends," Roseboom said. "It’s cool too have seen them come play for the organization that I play for. I’ve also had some great catchers over the years including Tom Murphy and Will Remillard."

Roseboom, who described himself as a life-long New York Yankees fan, will see what the summer of 2010 has to offer him before making a decision, but he’s already been in touch with the South Carolina-Upstate coaching staff.

"I got a call from the head coach and the strength and conditioning coach and they both congratulated me," he said. "But they both feel that with a lot of hard work down there I can do better. I think so too. I think that could help out a lot, but I’m just going to play summer baseball and see what happens in August."

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