Mr. Baseball, Marcus Littlewood from Pine View, picked in 2nd round by Seattle Mariners

Apparently, those two Mr. Baseball awards were well deserved.

Former Pine View shortstop Marcus Littlewood, a two-time Deseret News Mr. Baseball award winner, was picked by the Seattle Mariners in the second round of the Major League Baseball draft today. Littlewood was the 67th overall pick, making him the highest position player ever selected in state history.

"It's awesome," Littlewood said. "There were a lot of great players coming out of Utah this year, and in the past. I'm fortunate."

Another great player out of Utah, Spanish Fork's Adam Duke — who was taken in the 16th round by the Boston Red Sox — said he's happy for Littlewood.

"He's a great player," Duke said. "He deserves all of that."

Littlewood was disappointed when he wasn't picked in the draft's first round or compensatory round on Monday. Those feelings erased when he saw his name pop up on his computer screen this morning — along with other family members huddled around it — making it official that the Mariners took him with the 67th overall pick.

"It's been a crazy two days — an emotional roller-coaster," Littlewood said. "I wanted to go as high as I could. Not going in the top 50 was disappointing, but what can you do? I'm happy and thrilled to go in the second round."

Littlewood said he got a bunch of calls from teams after the draft's first day. Those clubs mainly wanted to know what it would take to sign him. Littlewood said he still plans on going to college at the University of San Diego. He has until Aug. 15 to work out a deal with the Mariners.

"That's the plan," Littlewood said of going to college rather than signing. "It hasn't changed."

What has changed is that Ryan Bowers loses a prestigious title. The former Pine View catcher previously held the distinction of being the earliest position player taken in the MLB draft in state history. He went to the Mets in 1995 with the 77th overall pick.

Littlewood has seemingly been destined to break Bowers' mark for years. He was a four-year starter at Pine View, and hit .538 with 10 doubles, eight home runs and 27 RBIs as a senior. Littlewood's play was on another level defensively at shortstop, and was probably the main reason the Mariners picked him when they did.

"All the hard work, and everything building up to that moment … I was just relieved," Littlewood said of when he was picked.