SLIPPERY ROCK — The round didn't matter. Neither did the team.

Will Kengor was going to take his shot.

Selected in the 28th round by the Detroit Tigers in Major League Baseball's amateur draft, the Slippery Rock University shortstop signed last week after the team flew him to the club's spring training base in Lakeland, Fla.

“I've been pretty well committed to giving this a shot,” said Kengor, a Central Catholic graduate and Pittsburgh resident. “I've been working toward it for a long time. It's been my whole life.”

Kengor spent the last week participating in workouts, intra-squad games and scrimmages with Detroit's other draft picks and rookies. He will either stay with Lakeland in the Gulf Coast League or be moved to the Tigers' New York-Penn League affiliate in Connecticut.

“I get the feeling I'll be staying here,” Kengor said. “I'm fine with that. They've been working with me strictly as a shortstop and they drafted me as a shortstop.

“If they ask me to move, I'll do it. I have to be ready for everything. The coaches here have been very encouraging and the staff has unbelievable baseball knowledge. I'm just soaking up everything I can.”

The Tigers also drafted a high school shortstop, Garrett Mattlage, in the 12th round this year. He signed the same day as Kengor.

Despite his 6-foot-4 frame being unusual for a shortstop, it's the only position Kengor's played for years.

“He's got the hands for it and pretty good range,” SRU coach Jeff Messer said. “Will is long and gangly for that position, though, and he has an average arm.

“I could see him being moved to center field or a corner infield position. But he's getting his chance to show them he can be a shortstop.”

Kengor singled in three at bats during an intra-squad game and had a single and walk in three plate appearances in a scrimmage against the New York Yankees' draft choices.

Tigers outfielder Andy Dirks is on a rehab assignment in Lakeland and played on Kengor's team during the intra-squad game.

“Just seeing a major leaguer in camp jolted me into where I was and where I'm trying to go,” Kengor admitted. “I hadn't played since May 1, so I had a lot of rust to shake off.”

Kengor hit .449 with The Rock and won the PSAC batting title as a junior. He followed that up by hitting .415 this season.

Only one PSAC player — Mercyhurst pitcher Dan Altavilla — was chosen ahead of Kengor in this year's draft. Altavilla was selected in the fifth round by Seattle.

But Kengor is still facing some long odds.

He is the 20th SRU baseball player to be drafted since 1976. Only one of the previous 19 — current Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams — ever reached the major leagues. Right-handed pitcher Lou Trivino, selected in the 11th round by Oakland last year, is a starting pitcher for Class A Benoit in the Midwest League this season.

“It's a grind and not everybody can do it,” Messer said of climbing the ladder in pro baseball. “It's as big a test mentally as it is physically.

“Will is our first two-time All-American. He's got the credentials. He has the ability, but so does everybody else he's playing with and against. It (pro ball) is run as a business. Produce and you move up. Fail to produce and you're gone.”

Adams was a 23rd-round pick by St. Louis who rocketed through the Cardinal farm system. Messer said the only difference between early and late-round draft picks in baseball is money invested.

“A player may get a longer look if a team tied up a lot of money in him,” he said. “Someone in Will's position may not get a window quite that long.”

But Kengor did go to one of the three organizations — the Orioles and Cubs being the others — who were on him for weeks leading up to the draft.

Kengor is the second SRU shortstop ever drafted. The first — Craig White, chosen in the 23rd round by the Dodgers in 1989 — just missed cracking the big leagues with Boston.

“Craig was in Triple-A for a while and was on the Red Sox replacement team the year of the baseball strike,” Messer recalled. “They were flying to Minnesota for the season opener when the strike settled.

“Will is not only very athletic. He's an articulate, smart player. He'll have things to fall back on if baseball doesn't work out for him.”

But he's taking that shot first.

“I'm going to find out if I'm good enough,” Kengor said. “It's every kid's dream. If I don't get there, it won't be because of any lack of effort.”

Here is a list of Slippery Rock University baseball players drafted by major league clubs:2014 — SS Will Kengor, 28th round, Detroit Tigers2013 — RHP Lou Trivino, 11th round, Oakland Athletics2009 — C-1B Matt Adams, 23rd round, St. Louis Cardinals2000 — C Dan DeCola, 16th round, Minnesota Twins; RHP Craig Petulla, 25th round, Houston Astros; LHP Tom Sullivan, 29th round, Minnesota Twins; 3B Greg Stokes, 35th round, Minnesota Twins1995 — RHP Mark Draeger, 45th round, Texas Rangers1994 — RHP Tony Dougherty, 36th round, Cleveland Indians1989 — SS Craig White, 23rd round, Los Angeles Dodgers1987 — 3B Willy Fillard, 61st round, Toronto Blue Jays1984 — RHP Gary Chesnoski, 12th round, Houston Astros1983 — C Sal Agostinelli, 22nd round, St. Louis Cardinals1982 — 1B Gary Gill, 8th round, St. Louis Cardinals; 3B Jeff Pasquale, 21st round, St. Louis Cardinals1981 — RHP Geoff Meadows, 10th round, Houston Astros1980 — 3B Bill Metil, 17th round, Cincinnati Reds1976 — RHP Garry Grafton, 6th round, Detroit Tigers; RHP Kevin Keenan, 8th round, Texas Rangers; C-Doug Zimmerman, 36th round, Pittsburgh Pirates