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Lance Hartley grew up playing baseball in Cameron and like every young boy, he wanted to become a Major Leaguer.
Sunday that dream took a step closer to reality when the recently-turned 20-year-old was drafted in the 12th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Kansas City Royals. The 6-5, 228-pound right-handed pitcher was the 359th overall selection in the two-day event.
"This has been a lifelong dream of mine," Hartley said in a telephone call Monday night. "It was definitely the biggest day of my life."
Hartley is committed to play next year at the University of South Carolina, which was one of two NCAA Division I offers he had after this past season at the College of Central Florida. He said he will forego his college career.
"I'm going to sign," he said during the phone interview. "I will be headed to the Royals headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz., in the next couple of days. After signing, I will most likely be assigned to the rehab complex there."
However, Hartley won't be pitching for nearly a year after undergoing the hybrid Tommy John surgery - or a hybrid UCL reconstruction - on June 8.
"I won't even touch a baseball for another four-and-a-half months, then it will probably be another six months until I'm pitching again," he said. "Rehab is going well. They took grafts from a ligament in my wrist and then inserted a synthetic 'internal brace,'" Hartley described. "This approach yields both immediate joint stability and long-term durability."
After a stellar high school career with the Dragons, Hartley took his diamond talents to Potomac State for one year before moving on to the College of Central Florida. He went 2-1 in five appearances with the Patriots in 16 innings of work. He compiled a 3.38 ERA and a microscopic .88 WHIP. He struck out 22 batters.
"Lance played a key role in the recent success we have had at Cameron. He’s got a ton of talent and the abilities to take him to the top," Cameron head baseball coach Adam Angel said. "I’m so excited to follow his journey. With his work ethic and drive, the sky is the limit."
Hartley said Kansas City had shown interest in him going back to his high school days.
"They talked to me while I was still at Cameron but they really showed a lot of interest in the last six months," he revealed. "My agent and I were anticipating to get a call somewhere near the back-end of the draft, rounds 15-20, so to go in the 12th round was a little bit of a surprise."
He previously pitched for the Morgantown-based W.Va. Black Bears in 2024 MLB Draft League. He also had a stint with the Burlington Sock Puppets in 2025 summer collegiate Appalachian League.
"I would like to thank my family, friends, community and God," he stressed. "Without all of those behind me, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Hartley was taken one spot behind Josiah Kemp whose uncle, Matt, was a three-time All Star with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kemp went to the San Francisco Giants.