By Andy Walter

There was really no question about whether Zack Gelof would get drafted.

It was just a question of how high the former Cape Henlopen High baseball standout would get taken.

The Oakland Athletics didn’t make Gelof wait too long to find out.

The A’s took the Virginia junior third baseman with the 60th pick in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft on Monday, making Gelof one of the highest draft choices ever from the Henlopen Conference.

A second-round pick, Gelof surpasses former Cape Henlopen player Tyler Townsend, who went to the Orioles with the 85th pick in the 2009 draft. The Rehoboth Beach native is only the second product of a Delaware high school to be taken in the second round since 2008.

Caravel outfielder Jake Fraley was selected by Tampa Bay with the 77th pick in 2017. Seaford’s Derrick Gibson also went in the 77th draft pick in 2008.

Among other former Henlopen Conference players, Seaford’s Mike Neill went in the second round in 1991 while all-time record-holder, Delino DeShields of Seaford, was taken with No. 12 overall pick in 1987.

Gelof was projected as the No. 86 pick by MLB.com.

“Personally, I don’t really like evaluating myself and let others do that,” Gelof was quoted by Baseball Prospect Journal before the draft. “But the leadership mentality and bringing it every day for my team goes a long way. I think that’s why I get better every day, and why I can help people get better around me so we can ultimately win. I know what I can do and have confidence in myself.”

“Zack has worked extremely hard to obtain this chance to be a professional baseball player,” said Cape Henlopen coach Ben Evick. “He has set attainable goals as he progressed through high school and college and is continuing to progress and improve.

“He is a team-first player and the Oakland A’s couldn’t have drafted a better one. I’m extremely excited for Zack and his family and can’t wait to see him in the bigs one day.”

With another season of eligibility remaining, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Gelof could still return to Virginia for his senior season but being taken in the second round will presumably strongly influence that decision. MLB.com values the pick at $1.6 million.

He hit .312 with 18 doubles and 50 runs scored for the Cavaliers this past spring.

The scouts like Gelof’s ability to hit for power. He hit nine home runs as a junior and 16 homers for his career.

There is some thought that he can also play in the outfield.

In 2019, Gelof was drafted in the 38th round by Cleveland before he started college.