Ryan Jensen

Reality sunk in the moment Ryan Jensen signed his name to a professional baseball contract.

This was no longer a vision or a dream. His head had come out of the clouds. Jensen and his 101 mph fastball are a part of the Chicago Cubs organization.

The Cubs first round draft choice and 27th overall pick is in Mesa, Arizona with the organizations Summer League team for now.

"I should know by next week where I'm headed," Jensen said. "The plan will probably be a short season. I threw 100 innings this year at Fresno State. It's a ton for college baseball."

The former Salinas High hurler became just the second player in the county to be selected in the first round, joining Pete Incaviglia, who was the eighth pick by the Expos in 1985.

Incaviglia, who prepped at Monterey and played at Oklahoma State, was later traded to Texas and went straight to the majors without ever playing a minor league game.

The projection for the 21-year-old Jensen, a second team All-American at Fresno State, will likely be at least two years in the minors to polish his other pitches.

"I hope to get an invitation to the big league camp next spring," said Jensen, whose cousin pitched in the Cubs organization. "Once that happens, they have their eyes on you more."

The Mountain West Pitcher of the Year at Fresno State and tournament MVP, Jensen posting a 12-1 record with a 2.88 earned run average this past spring.

The 6-foot, 187-pound right-hander was consistent at 97-98 mph on the radar gun, striking out 107 hitters in 100 innings of work.

"I noticed more consistency back in the fall," Jensen said. "The first couple of starts this year weren't first round starts. But then after Tennessee, I really got locked in. I didn't turn back."

Jensen struck out a career high 14 against Air Force, and had eight or more strikeouts in seven of his 15 starts, including eight against UC Santa Barbara in the NCAA regionals.

"I changed my mechanics after my freshman year," Jensen said. "It was more about getting older and mature. It was more mental than physical. This past year I figured everything out."

Jensen didn't arrive at Fresno State three years ago with a fastball that clocked over 100 mph. He was a reliever as a freshman and posted just a 2-6 record as a starter his sophomore season.

"Honestly I didn't think I'd be in this situation this soon," Jensen said. "I didn't have a very good first season. I was just a normal righty."

With each win, his stock in the draft began to soar. He flirted with perfection for five innings in the NCAA Regional before pitching the Bulldogs past highly respected UC Santa Barbara.

Projections prior to that effort in the tournament were perhaps in the compensation round, anywhere between 35-78.

"I was hearing more Yankees and Diamondbacks," said Jensen, who was a member of The Herald's All-County football and baseball teams at Salinas. "The Yankees scout said they were taking me at 38."

Too late.

The Cubs grabbed Jensen just before the start of Fresno State's regional game at Stanford, where he found out right after the national anthem.

"I didn't think I would go that high," Jensen said. "My agent texted me. It was kind of surreal. I was kind of out of it for a little while. I remember thinking what just happened?"

With a pro-rated signing bonus for first round picks, it was not a difficult decision for Jensen to forgo his final year at Fresno State, signing last week.

"It was a no brainer," Jensen said. "I got a pretty solid bonus. Right now they just have us throwing and breaking down our mechanics. They want to see me build up my innings."

While his fastball opened eyes and popped mints, Jensen feels he has a few pitches in his arsenal that can get hitters out.

"The fastball is my best pitch," Jensen said. "But my change-up is solid right now. I need to get my slider in a better position. After that, we'll be locked in."

The highest player from Salinas High to be drafted prior to Jensen was Xavier Nady in 2000, who was taken with the 49th overall pick out of Cal by the Padres.