PHS senior taking part in Under Armour event

PORTALES — Portales High baseball ace Emilio Lovato is taking the next big step towards his ultimate goal of playing in the major leagues this weekend, participating in the Under Armour All-American Pre-Season Tournament in Mesa, Arizona.

"This means a lot for me," said Lovato. "My dream is to play in the MLB and this is one of the best ways to get there ... I just want to go up there and show them what I've got."

The event is attended by 400 players from all across the nation, and Lovato is one of only three players from the entire state that were offered an invite to the event. Hobbs' David Ortega and Tyrin Pacheco were also offered invites.

Lovato helped lead the Rams to the Class 4A state title game last May, where they lost to Sandia Prep. He finished the season with a 2.58 ERA, a 5-1 record and 53 strikeouts.

While the tournament is an invite-only event, players are required to pay a registration fee and find their own accommodations. The tournament consists of several games played over the course of Saturday and Sunday, and all 30 MLB teams will have scouts in attendance.

To qualify for the event beyond the invite, players must have had at least one grading session done by Baseball Factory, a company specializing in player instruction and development for high school athletes who is partnered with Under Armour. The session includes a pro-style workout and an athletic test, with the athlete receiving a grade in both categories.

Across the United States, 15,000 players are tested annually, so being invited to what Baseball Factory executive player development coordinator Steve Nagler calls the "premier event of the year" is considered an accomplishment. While the Baseball Factory will grade players during the tournament, it is considered one of the better national events for MLB scouts to give their own evaluations for draft prospects, according to Nagler.

Lovato has signed to play next season at Eastern New Mexico University. Prior to that, he'll play a prospect league this summer in Jupiter, Florida.