By Eric Stock

BLOOMINGTON – John Rave said he was at a friend’s house playing video games when his phone rang.

PODCAST: Listen to WJBC’s interview with Rave on WJBC.

“I knew the draft was obviously going on but I wasn’t trying to look too much into it,” the Central Catholic outfielder said. “I was just trying to have a normal day, relax a little bit and not let that consume my whole day.”

Saturday become anything but normal when a scout from the Boston Red Sox informed him that the team was going to select him in the 35th of the Major League Baseball amateur draft.

“It is a surreal feeling because that’s every high school kid’s dream is to hear their name called in the draft and every baseball player’s dream,” Rave said. “It was a great feeling.”

Rave said he will likely fulfill his commitment to attend Illinois State University and take a bet on himself to move up in the draft in the future.

“Right now it’s just a waiting game,” Rave said. “Unless something crazy happens with another Red Sox signing. I think I’ll be at Illinois State for three years or maybe four. Hopefully after getting bigger, better, stronger at Illinois State I’ll be back on the board in a couple years.”

While a likely future Redbird was drafted over the weekend, a current Redbird was also chosen.

ISU senior catcher Jean Ramirez was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 28th round of the draft.

“It’s an incredibly exciting feeling,” Ramirez said Saturday. “When I heard my name called, I immediately burst into tears because of how exciting and unbelievable it was. Today has been a dream come true for me.”

Ramirez, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, was a standout member of Illinois State’s baseball team the past two seasons.

He batted .271 as a senior at Illinois State and led the Redbirds with 6 homeruns. He tallied 27 RBIs and scored 21 runs.

As Illinois State’s everyday catcher, Ramirez committed just one error and caught nine potential base stealers during the 2016 season.