HEIDELBERG, Ontario - The plan came to fruition and Calvin Ziegler is now a member of the New York Mets’ organization.

“Prior to the second day of the draft we came to an agreement with the Mets,” explained the top-rated 2021 in Ontario. “The idea was to go there with the 46th pick, but you never know for sure until your name is called.”

The 58th-ranked player in North America’s 2021 class admits to being overwhelmed by the selection in the Major League Baseball Draft earlier this month.

“It was really exciting,” related Ziegler, who was with his father and step-mom, her parents, and aunts and uncles along with cousins at home in Canada during the draft. “I’m not usually a guy that jumps up and down, I keep neutral. But the excitement I gave that day was the most I’ve ever given.”

Not long after being taken with the second-round pick, Ziegler was putting his name down on a contract.

“I went down and signed on the 21st (of July),” Ziegler noted. “It was a three-day trip to New York.”

There was no decision to make when it came to going to college or becoming a professional baseball player.

“I agreed on a number and basically at that point I was signing,” Ziegler reflected. “I’d be disrespectful at that point if I said yes and then didn’t sign and they’d lose a second-round pick.”

The 18-year-old, who reclassified to become a 2021 last year, kept Auburn in the loop during the MLB Draft.

“I had a zoom call with Butch Thompson and Karl Nonemaker and they said if it happens, it happens,” Ziegler said, referring to the Auburn head coach and assistant coach, respectively. “They were cheering me on the whole way. They said don’t get short cut (financially). It’s your decision. We’ll continue to cheer for you.”

Ziegler appreciated the support.

“It’s good to have a college like that behind you,” Ziegler explained. “That made it easier for me. Auburn made a good point. If they offered $50,000, don’t take it. Have a pick number and stick to it. I’ll remember them for what they did.”

The selection by the Mets was, admittedly, a bit surprising for the 6-0 190-pound right-hander.

“Prior to the draft I hadn’t heard from them much,” Ziegler said. “The Mets came out of nowhere. They gave me two or three questionnaires and identity things to fill out two weeks leading up to the draft. Until then, I’d only talked to two Mets’ scouts before and that was just after a game when they came up to me out of courtesy for being there. It was kind of crazy. It came out of nowhere.”

But the draft played out as wished, according to Ziegler, who ended up signing for a reported $910,000.

“I was hoping to go around the 50-mark, that’s where me and my advisor thought I might go,” Ziegler said. “I went a little before that, which was good.”

Ziegler, who took one class at St. Mary’s High School in Ontario last fall before heading south to play baseball at TNXL Academy, spent the last four months pitching in places like Florida, the Carolinas, New York and Ohio.

“I got really good exposure in Florida,” Ziegler pointed out in reference to the home of TNXL in Ocoee just west of Orlando. “I had some great teammates and good players that helped draw more scouts in.”

Since the draft, Ziegler has been taking it easy.

“I’m just relaxing now,” Ziegler said. “I’m throwing a little here and there, but they told me not to throw too much.”

Once the visa process is done, which is expected to be completed in the next week or so, Ziegler will be heading to St. Lucie, Fla., for low-A ball.

“Once I’m there I’ll be doing four weeks of them getting to know me,” Ziegler said. “They’ll see what works for me. After that I’ll be down there for another month. I’ll max at probably 12 innings, not a high volume, I’ll just be working on stuff.”

Ziegler understands the task in front of him in his quest to advance as far and as quickly as possible in professional baseball.

“Obviously the goal is to become a major leaguer, which is easier said than done,” Ziegler concluded. “I’ll be asking for a lot of advice. It’s going to be more about listening, understanding what they’re saying to me and how it’s going to benefit me.”