Realistically, Ryan Merrill had his best chance to professional baseball two years ago, when he was a 15th-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals.
He opted to come to TCU instead, believing it could bring him home to Omaha and the College World Series.
“After seeing TCU in Omaha numerous times, I knew I had a very good shot to get a chance to play in the World Series,” he said. “It was an easy decision for me.”
It worked out much like Merrill envisioned. He is playing in his second College World Series, in his hometown, and Tuesday he homered at TD Ameritrade Park in the Frogs’ 4-1 victory against Texas A&M.