Hodo ready for next step in baseball career

Douglas Hodo had quite a baseball career at Boerne High and then at the University of Texas and now Hodo hopes to continue that success at the next level.

Hodo was taken in the sixth round of this year’s Major League Baseball draft with the 167th pick by the Baltimore Orioles.

Hodo still has two years of eligibility left at UT, but he said it’s time to move on. Hodo is flying out to Baltimore this weekend where he hopes to sign a deal with the Orioles.

Hodo said he’s happy with where he went in the draft. MLB had him ranked as the 223rd ranked prospect but he was taken with the 167th pick.

“I was looking for a chance and I had a plan going into it. Where I was drafted fell within our range and I’m glad the Orioles made the call,” he said. “I’m excited about getting drafted but I still have to go out and play because I have a bigger goal than getting drafted.”

Hodo had options if he didn’t like the round or the team that selected him. He could have returned to the Longhorns and reentered the draft next season, but Hodo was able to earn his degree in three years and is ready to pursue a baseball career.

“It was the right time, going into my freshman year at UT my plan was to graduate in three years,” he said. “I wanted a chance to play pro ball, but I didn’t want to leave without a degree.”

Hodo said he has an agent and while he wouldn’t reveal how much he plans to sign for, Hodo noted that he’s reached an agreement in principle with the Orioles and hopes to close the deal this weekend when he flies to Baltimore.

According to the MLB website, someone selected in the spot where Hodo was taken can expect to sign for about $320,000.

He played three years with the Longhorns and helped UT reach the College World Series two seasons in a row. After this year’s CWS, Hodo took some time off and prepared for the draft. He’s been in Boerne this summer and attended Sunday’s MLB watch party at Dog & Pony grill where he and former teammate Cole Phillips were both selected. The two were teammates for one season when Hodo was a senior and Phillips was a freshman in the spring of 2019.

Hodo said he expects he’ll play with the Orioles at some level to close out the summer and added that there are a lot of people to thank for helping him get this far.

“I’m going to be far from home, something I haven’t experienced really, but I’m excited for a new challenge,” he said. “Hopefully it’ll be rewarding and it’s a testament to everyone who supported me. It’s not only an accomplishment for me but for those people too.”