BASEBALL: Dodgers draft Warrior alum Cabrera
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Former Rend Lake College pitcher Freddie Cabrera was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 26th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft, held June 6-8.
He said he had been contacted prior to the draft by the Dodgers and a few other teams, but wasn't sure in what round it might happen. He was watching the draft up until the 25th round before deciding to get outside and work out. He got a call from his sister.
"She said, 'Congratulations!' and I was like, 'Congratulations for what?' She said, 'Are you watching the draft?' She started screaming and then I started screaming. I was so excited. That was awesome. It's a dream come true," the 21-year-old said Monday during a telephone interview with RLC Sports Information.
Cabrera came to Rend Lake from the small Puerto Rican village of Capiro where he lived with his parents, grandmother, sister and niece. He started playing baseball when he was seven. When he got to RLC, communicating in English during class and at practice was a bit of a challenge. He said Warriors Head Coach Tony Etnier worked with him.
"He was my first coach in the United States," Cabrera said of Etnier. "He took time explaining to me how I can get better mechanics."
"I am really happy for Freddie," said Etnier. "It was just a matter of time for him. The stuff was always there and it's good to see that all of his hard work has paid off."