By Andy Walter

REHOBOTH BEACH — Zack Gelof said he tried to keep it all low key.

The former Cape Henlopen High baseball standout didn’t want a big party of people around watching the MLB draft on Monday — because you never know how it’s going to go.

So when Gelof did see his name go up on the screen — that the Oakland Athletics had selected him with the 60th pick overall — he merely hugged his family and shook some hands.

But that doesn’t mean he was any less thrilled than the guys who scream and jump up and down when their name is called.

“I was like, ‘Wow, this is crazy,’” Gelof said on Wednesday. “It’s like a dream come true. ... It hasn’t really sunk in yet. It was an awesome experience.

“I think I still haven’t realized how much it means yet. But I just feel really excited.”

Even a small state like Delaware has had its share of players drafted. Gelof, though, put himself among the highest draft picks ever from Delaware when he went in the second round.

Since the Major Leagues started the amateur draft in 1965, Gelof is just the 10th Delawarean to be selected in the first or second round. He is the sixth-highest draft pick from the state overall.

And among former Henlopen Conference players, only Seaford’s Delino DeShields (12th) and Mike Neill (59th) went higher.

“I realize that it’s not that often that someone (from Delaware) gets drafted, especially that high,” said Gelof, who was the state Player of the Year as a senior at Cape. “I’m just really thankful for the opportunity.”

Like a lot of guys in his position, Monday’s draft was a moment he’s been working towards for as long as he can remember. It started when he was a youngster.

“Since I could start playing baseball ... playing t-ball and starting having a catch with my dad and brother, it’s a dream I’ve had to get drafted, play professionally and be a big leaguer for a long time,” said Gelof.

A junior third baseman at Virginia, Gelof does have the option of returning to the Cavaliers for his senior season. Given how high he went in the draft, though, that seems unlikely.

Even as a second-round draft pick, Gelof knows there’s nothing easy about trying to make it to Majors. He’s only got his foot in the door.

Now he’ll have to prove himself all over again in the minors.

“They gave me a great opportunity,” Gelof said about the A’s. “But there are so many other players that deserve an opportunity. Now it’s about who can prove themselves, work hard and separate themselves from everyone else, be the best player you can be and ultimately help the Athletics win.

“It’s something I’m going to focus on from now on. Once the deal is done, I’ll just get after it and go from there.”

The $1.16 million value listed for Gelof’s draft position is a pretty good indication that he’s going from baseball being just a game to also being a big business.

“That’s the nature of the game,” said Gelof. “It’s just about doing the little things as good as you can and getting better every day and just passing people. I think that’s something I’ve done since I was a little kid.

“I’ve never been the best or the biggest. But I think I’ve passed a good amount of people in my time that I was told I wasn’t as good as.”

This has been a pretty magical month for Gelof and his family.

He got to finish his college career playing in the College World Series alongside his younger brother, Jake. He got the thrill of being drafted surrounded by family and relatives.

But that feeling won’t last forever. There’s a reason Gelof still continued to work out this week.

“It’s definitely crazy right now,” he said. “But it’s nice just to hang out with family and friends and just appreciate the down time.

“Once we get going, it’s a job. And I don’t want to be bad at my job. I want to do everything I can to be the best.”