Massapequa's Travis Honeyman selected by Cardinals in third round of MLB Draft

The waiting was the hardest part. Now that it’s over, the end result looks awfully good.

Travis Honeyman went into his junior season at Boston College projected to go high, perhaps even the first round, in this year’s Major League Baseball Draft. In April, however, the 2019 Newsday All-Long Island selection from Massapequa High School was sidelined for the season with a shoulder injury, and things became uncertain.

Resolution came quickly as MLB held rounds 3-10 on Monday. The St. Louis Cardinals plucked him in the third round with the 90th overall selection. Honeyman and a number of his teammates from the 2019 state championship team celebrated the outcome in his backyard on Long Island.

“I thought I’d still be a decently high pick, but with this injury . . . it was kind of up in the air how teams would see it,” said Honeyman, whose older brother Bobby spent three seasons in the Mariners’ organization after being selected in the 29th round of the 2018 draft out of Stony Brook. “I’m grateful the Cardinals picked me in the third round. One of the best things about their organization is how good they are with prospect development. It’s the main thing you look for.”

Former Boston College baseball coach Mike Gambino (hired by Penn State last week) converted him from a high school third baseman to a college outfielder. However, the gift Honeyman had for putting the bat on the ball never changed. He became a starter as a sophomore and had a .329/.402/.506 slash line with six home runs and 19 RBIs from the leadoff spot. Batting second this season, he had a .304/.383/.536 slash line with six home runs and 30 RBIs in 39 games before his injury.

“He always had this knack for barreling up the ball — just did it better than other people — and that gift gives you the best chance for success,” Massapequa coach Tom Sheedy said. “He lost his senior season to [COVID-19] and it would have been special.”

The 90th overall pick comes with a slot value of about $760,000, and there will be a lot for Honeyman to consider — outside of dollar figures — when he decides whether to sign or return for another year of college. The Cardinals are one of the better organizations in the majors, but another year of college ball might improve where he goes in the draft.

“I know a bunch of guys that have went through the Cardinals’ system and they’ve ended up having pretty good careers,” Honeyman said. “So I can’t wait to get over there and . . . start improving my game.”

First though, Honeyman has to heal from surgery that repaired his labrum and rotator cuff.

“There’s nothing stopping me from recovering from this,” he said. “When I get back, it’s going to be special.”

By Roger Rubin

roger.rubin@newsday.com@rogrubin

Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.