Each year, over 1,000 players are selected in the MLB Draft. Considered to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, not many players decide against going pro when that opportunity presents itself.

But, for UNC Wilmington senior outfielder Andrew Cain, the big leagues can wait.

Cain, a 12th-round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers, chose to put aside a childhood dream to return to UNCW for his senior season. “When I got the phone call, I was pretty excited and had all these emotions built up inside me,” he said. “It felt like I was in shock for a few hours.”

After receiving countless congratulatory calls and text messages, Cain knew he had to come to a decision. “A lot of different things factored in for me, but school means a lot to me and my family,” he added. “I know in the long run, school will go a lot farther than baseball.”

Money also factored into his decision to stay or go. When the Brewers initially offered Cain less than his desired $100,000 contract, it helped push him back to Wilmington. “Money had a lot to do with it,” Cain said. “I wanted to be worth something to the organization, so then I would have a chance to stick with the team longer.”

The draft experience was new for him. Coming out of Greenville Rose High School, Cain had a slender 6-foot-5-inch, 180 pound frame. He wasn’t on any MLB team’s radar.

Once he arrived at UNCW, he added power and improved his technique and fundamentals. Cain, now a muscular 6-foot-6-inches tall and 215 pounds, attributes much of his success to his coaches and teammates.

“The coaching staff, my teammates and our strength coach really helped me out,” he said. “In high school I liked baseball a lot, but when I got here I really developed a deep passion for the game.”

Although Cain is seeing his hard work pay off, he isn’t going to let the success rush to his head. “This gives me a lot of confidence heading into this year, but at the same time I don’t want to just be looked at as a ‘draft pick,'” he said. “I feel like I still have a lot to prove for myself and with this team.”

Cain’s return figures to be a big lift for coach Mark Scalf and the Seahawks this season. “I think it’s important for us to have all our pieces back,” Scalf said. “Having Andrew plus two recruits that were drafted, and everyone else that is returning really fits all the pieces together.”

With all the talent on the Seahawk roster this year, they will look to contend for the CAA title.