Former Wallace and University of Alabama baseball player Kade Snell is headed to the Major Leagues. Snell was drafted Monday morning by the Chicago Cubs in the in the fifth round of the MLB Draft.

"This is like a dream come true," Snell said. "It's something I've always wanted. It started as a joke, but I just continued to work hard."

Snell is now officially a Chicago Cub, but there have been several stops along the way that have made him the man he is today. After graduating from Wicksburg High School, he briefly spent time at Auburn University before transferring to Wallace College. After being named the National Junior College Player of the Year, (among many other awards), Snell headed to Alabama. This past season he was named the team's captain.  At each stop, Snell said he learned something about himself.

"Wallace was exactly what I needed at the time," Snell said. "I learned a lot about myself. I was humbled. I came home and was able to be close to my family and I got closer to God. I started going to church again.  I can tell you this. My kids will be attending junior college. I know the life lessons junior college can teach you."

"At Alabama, I matured a lot. I learned to trust people more and I bet on myself. I think everything worked out okay."

Now Snell is headed to the Cubs facility, possibly in Arizona.

"I went to work out for them a few weeks ago," Snell said. "They liked me and I really liked them. I fell in love with some of the guys."
Snell has played first base, pitched, been a designated hitter, and of course been an outfielder, the same position he played at Alabama.

"As of right now, I am going to play outfield for them," Snell said. "That's the position I worked out for them. But if they decide they want me to play somewhere else, I'm perfectly willing to do that."

Playing in the outfield, Snell led the Crimson Tide his senior year with a batting average of .363 while also hitting 10 home runs. As successful as he was as an outfielder, he says he still misses playing one position.

"I really miss being unable to pitch. That's because pitching opened a lot of doors for me. I got to do a lot of things, see a lot of teams and meet a lot people because I was a pitcher.."

Just before he embarks on his professional career, Snell had one final bit of business to take care of. This past Tuesday he got married to his longtime girlfriend Joanna Marshall, a former Wallace softball player.

"I proposed to her while I was in college," Snell said. "We knew we were going to get married. We didn't want to live together before we got married. That's the way both of us were raised. We follow the bible all the way. Well things have changed in the minor leagues. When you go play for a team, they pay for a place to stay for you and a roommate. If you're married, they pay for you and your wife. I love her to death and want to spend the rest of my life with her. So we just decided to go ahead and do it now."

Snell has been a superstar ever since his high school days. But with all of his success, Snell has remained humble. Former teammates speak highly of him. So do his college professors. And he acknowledges all of them.

"I want to thank everybody I've met along the way who has played a part in my journey," he said. "I may not have always said it, but you all mean a lot to me."