Lawrence High starter Bryce Montes de Oca delivers against Olathe Northwest during the third inning of 6A Regionals at Wayne Norvell Baseball Field in Manhattan, Kan.

Former Lawrence High pitcher Bryce Montes de Oca knew he had two strong choices for his future baseball career.

He was going to turn professional after he was selected in the Major League Baseball amateur draft in June by the Chicago White Sox or head to college to play for the University of Missouri.

He opted for Missouri.

As MLB’s imposed deadline to sign a pro contract passed on July 18, Montes de Oca was taking two summer classes at Missouri, getting acclimated at his future school. For the first time in a few summers, he also didn’t have to worry about rehabbing his arm.

“I’m really excited. I was there all of July and had a great time,” Montes de Oca said. “I got a lot better, even in a very short amount of time, so I’m looking forward to heading back on (Sunday) and getting to work there again.”

The 6-foot-7 right-hander committed to Missouri during his sophomore year and was considered a long shot to sign by most baseball sources once he dropped to the 14th round. He will be eligible for the draft again in three years.

“We knew that would be a tough sign,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn told MLB.com. “He’s probably a name we are going to hear about again in three years, if he is able to fulfill his potential. It was a worthwhile gamble, but we knew it was a long shot to sign him.”

Despite not signing, Montes de Oca was happy with the draft experience, but is more excited to get his future underway in college, especially after spending time in Columbia last month.

“Pretty much the entire freshmen class was there, so we got to know each pretty well,” Montes de Oca said. “Coaches have been really good. We lifted a lot and ran a lot, and we got a lot better.”