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Golden Medals: Cal Track at NCAA, Cal Baseball in MLB Draft

An update on Cal Track at the NCAA's. We also check in on the impact of this week's MLB Draft on Cal Baseball.

By Ruey Yen
Jamie Squire/Getty Images

New Cal Aquatic Center breaks ground

The $15 million facility is fully funded by donation by alum. Construction is expected to take 12-15 months.

At the groundbreaking for the new Cal pool! @anthonyervin @nataliecoughlin @cleverenz12 @r_bootsma15 #gobears

A photo posted by Nathan Adrian (@nathangadrian) on

Cal Track at NCAA Championships

4 Golden Bears are up in Oregon this week to compete in the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Freshman Walt Jones IV set a personal best at just the right time. He finished 7th place in long jump, which is the best Cal men's finish since 1995, 20 years ago.

Congrats to Walt Jones and may he continues to improve on that person record and finish.

Junior Thomas Joyce competed in men's 1500 meters. His 21st finish (time of 3:48.30) wasn't good enough to advance to the finals. Joyce peaked at the Big Meet when he set a school record of 3:39.43.

Ethan Cochran will compete in discus tonight (4:05 pm PT, meet is streamed on ESPN3).

The only female of the quartet is freshman Bethan Knights. Knights will run the 5000 meters on Saturday.

2015 MLB Draft

Congrats to graduating senior 1B/OF Chris Paul (CP6!) on being selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 6th round.

Chris Paul is the 3rd Golden Bears to be drafted by the Twins organization in the past two years. He joins Trevor Hildenberger and Michael Theofanopoulos (those guys were drafted in the 22nd and 30th round last year, respectively). Chris Paul's name is by far the easiest to spell of the three.

While no other players on this past year's team was drafted, a Cal signee was drafted in the first round (28th) overall by the Atlanta Braves. Canadian right hander Mike Soroka is a Cal signee. Check out Ryan Gorcey's story on his commitment to Cal.

A top arm like Soroka – rated the No. 45 right-handed pitcher in the 2015 class – usually draws some draft buzz, but Soroka is dead-set on going to college.

"I’m committed; I’m going to Berkeley," Soroka said. "Unless things really happen in the spring, and we get an offer that we just can’t turn down, it’s been a lifelong dream to go to college, and to have that at Cal-Berkeley, too, that education is really hard to turn down."

Cal being a cosmopolitan and world-renowned university certainly played a role in the decision.

"A little bit; it’s always nice to know that you’re going to have Cal on your resumé," Soroka said. "That goes a long way, by itself. It makes a difference, for sure, but, really, it was just a bonus, having the coaches and the players and the way everything is, it’s just perfect."

So is he going to sign? The signing bonus for the 28th overall spot is over $2 million dollars. Soroka is obviously very grateful to be drafted this high.

Some has said that Soroka was a bit of a reach by the Braves at this spot, this points even more to this being a "signability" pick meaning that the Braves expects Soroka to sign.

Mike Neu knew Soroka's coach, former MLB pitcher Chris Reitsma (who also had some good years for the Braves back in the day).

While the report out of the Braves is that they expect to sign their top picks (including Soroka), maybe there is a glimmer of hope for the Bears?

I think Soroka will probably sign within the week.

Another Cal signee was drafted, but this time really late.

Tanner Dodson is another Cal pitching signee. I have no idea how this one will play out. Teams can go much higher than slot for picks these late picks.

In other Cal in MiLB news:

Cal Baseball legend Tony Renda is now with the Yankees. Best of luck to Tony in his new organization. Renda is currently playing at the AA level (Eastern League).

GO BEARS!

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