Laird to Play Baseball for Cypress College

Gerald Laird, the second-round pick of the Oakland Athletics, has decided to play baseball at Cypress College, he said Friday.

Laird, a catcher, said that attending Cypress was the best move when he didn’t reach a contract agreement with Oakland after a summer of negotiations.

“It was a little bit disappointing,” Laird said about not signing. “It was something I thought about all year. [Cypress] was an option I considered all along. This way I can see how I like college ball.”

Laird, who hit .630 with eight home runs and 46 runs batted last season for La Quinta High School, had signed a letter of intent to play at Arizona State and was expected to enroll there last week but didn’t. He wouldn’t have been eligible for the amateur draft again until after his junior season if he had played for the Sun Devils.

He will be eligible for the draft again next June by playing at Cypress. But Laird said Arizona State would honor his scholarship if he decides to play there after a season at Cypress.

“I think it was a big relief for him to come here,” Cypress Coach Scott Pickler said. “Now the big thing is for him is to relax and have a decent year so his game grows.

“I think this is a great option for him. It’s definitely going to be a step up for him.”