AMATEUR BASEBALL DRAFT : Pacifica Pitcher Toth Signed by Kansas City

Robert Toth, a pitcher at Pacifica High School, said Tuesday that his parents have signed a contract on his behalf with the Kansas City Royals.

Toth, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-hander, was drafted in the 10th round by the Royals Monday.

Because he is only 17, Toth’s parents, Bob and Antoinette, signed for him. Major league rules require players to be 18 to sign a contract. Toth would not reveal the amount of his signing bonus.

“I was surprised to get picked in the 10th round,” Toth said. “I figured they would take me in the 20th or 25th round. That’s what the other scouts had been talking about.”

Toth had planned to attend Cypress College next year. Instead, he will join the Royals’ rookie league team June 19 in Haines City, Fla.

“The Royals were kind of quiet about (scouting) me,” Toth said. “The scouts came over to my house a couple of times, but that’s it. The Astros were scouting me, then they dropped me.”

Toth was 8-4 this season with a 0.82 earned-run average. He had 104 strikeouts and five walks in 77 innings.

While Toth signed after his first draft, former Cypress College and El Dorado standout Steve Gill has been selected for the fourth consecutive year.

Gill, a junior outfielder at the University of Arizona, was drafted by the Padres in an unannounced round.

He was drafted by Atlanta out of high school in 1987, but elected to play at Cypress. Gill had a tryout with the Minnesota Twins after his freshman year but decided to stay at Cypress. The Pirates drafted him last summer, but Gill decided to play at Arizona.

Other county players who have been drafted include Marina’s Marc Newfield (Seattle, first round), Fullerton College’s Gary Mota (Houston, second round), former El Dorado shortstop Bret Boone (Seattle, fifth round), Orange Coast College first baseman Rod McCall (Cleveland, ninth round), UCLA outfielder Robbie Katzaroff, formerly of Los Alamitos, (Montreal, 14th round), Ocean View pitcher Duane Page (Baltimore, 15th round), and Cypress College pitcher Noe Najera (Texas, 30th round).

Times staff writer Steve Kresal contributed to this story.