FORT WORTH, Texas — Caleb Lomavita did not have to wait long to hear his name called in the 2024 MLB Draft.

Lomavita, an Ewa Beach native and Saint Louis School graduate, excelled as a catcher at Cal the last three years. He was taken No. 39 overall by the Washington Nationals on Sunday, the first of three days of the draft.

His draft slot landed in the competitive balance round between the first and second rounds. The pick, which was obtained from the Kansas City Royals, is valued at $2.39 million, according to MLB.

Lomavita was named a third-team All-American by Perfect Game and to the All-Pac-12 team following a standout junior season this spring. He hit .322 with a team-best 15 home runs and 133 total bases.

He was one of eight catchers in the county with 10-plus homers and 10-plus stolen bases. He was also named to the conference’s all-defensive team.

Lomavita was the 2021 Gatorade Hawaii Baseball Player of the Year following his senior season at Saint Louis.

Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.