Beck Says He’ll Return to Cal State Fullerton : Teams Stayed Away From Pitcher in Draft After Surgery Left Future Uncertain

Mark Beck, the Cal State Fullerton pitcher whose future was thrown into uncertainty after he underwent shoulder surgery in February, had not been drafted by Tuesday afternoon and says he will return to Fullerton next season.

Beck said he made up his mind after he was not taken during the first day of baseball’s amateur draft, which began Monday and concludes today.

“I’m going back to school for sure, even if I’m drafted in the 15th round,” said Beck, a 6-foot-7 right-hander who last year helped Fullerton to the College World Series and was just shy of making the U.S. Olympic baseball team last August when he withdrew with a sore right shoulder.

He was considered likely to be taken in the first or second round before the injury, but uncertainty about his recovery apparently made teams reluctant to choose him.

Beck expects to be cleared to begin throwing in September.

“I’m not really disappointed that much,” Beck said. “(Fullerton) is a great place to go back to.”

Beck said he originally did not expect to be drafted this year after undergoing surgery, but that conversations with scouts led him to believe he would be drafted. Teams called him repeatedly during the draft, asking each time about his shoulder, but never selecting him. Beck said he is convinced returning to Fullerton is the right thing to do.

Rex Peters, a first baseman, became the fourth Titan player to be taken in the draft when he was chosen in the 22nd round by the Dodgers, a Fullerton official said.

He joins Brent Mayne (Kansas City, first round), David Staton (San Diego, fifth) and Matt Watson (San Francisco, seventh).

Only first-round selections are made public immediately by baseball officials.

Some other draft choices are reported by the players.