Former Lawrence High baseball standout Garrett Cleavinger was sitting at his home in Eugene, Oregon, alongside his family and friends while watching the Major League Baseball Draft on a couple of computers Tuesday.

He didn’t have to wait long to see his name flash across the screen before he could start celebrating.

Cleavinger, the University of Oregon’s closer, was selected in the third round (No. 102 overall) by the Baltimore Orioles. It’s the highest an LHS graduate was drafted since Lee Stevens was picked No. 22 overall in the 1986 draft by the California Angels.

“It’s a very exciting experience,” Cleavinger said. “We kind of knew it was going to happen at some point this weekend. It was an exciting couple of hours. I was able to spend it with my family and friends, which made it even better.”

In three seasons with Oregon, the 6-foot-1 left-hander had an 18-4 record, 13 saves and a 1.94 earned-run average while striking out 172 hitters in 116 innings. Cleavinger owns school records with 109 career appearances and the lowest opponent batting average (.165).

“We were looking for a strong, powerful left-hander that maybe could be a fast mover through our system, had a good delivery and threw strikes,” Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich said. “For any major-league pitcher, you have to be able to locate and command your fastball. We think he’s almost there already.”

Cleavinger has an assigned slot value for $559,300 as the 102nd pick, though he could be in line for a larger signing bonus because he’s only a junior in college and has leverage to return to Oregon if he doesn’t agree to a contract with the Orioles by the MLB-imposed deadline on July 17.

He is expected to sign, but plans to return to his family’s home in Baldwin City in the next few days to figure out his next move.

“It’s good knowing that I can either decide to take the next step or know that I have a wonderful team and coaching staff to come back to,” Cleavinger said. “There’s no really bad choice here.”

Cleavinger flew onto the radar of MLB scouts with a strong summer last year with the Falmouth Commodores in the prestigious Cape Cod League. He led his team with 29 strikeouts in 13 innings featuring a mid-90s fastball.

LHS coach Brad Stoll is also an assistant coach for the Commodores, and Cleavinger couldn’t be more grateful for his time under his former coach.

“I feel like that has a lot to do with the position I’m in today,” Cleavinger said of Stoll. “I’ve known him pretty much my whole life. He’s been a very valuable person in this part of my life. I can’t thank him enough for everything he’s done for me.”

Stoll added: “I thought my heart was going to blow up, man. To be honest with you, I’m just so excited for him. He’s a wonderful kid, and it’s just such a great and well-deserved opportunity for him.”

Cleavinger led the Lions to three state tournament appearances in his high school career, along with a state championship in 2009. He was a first-team all-state selection for the Lions in 2012, striking out 74 in 55 innings with a 1.91 earned-run average and 6-4 record.

He had an offer to play at Kansas University before choosing to play for the Ducks. College baseball teams only have a maximum of 11.7 scholarships to dole out to their players, and Cleavinger said Oregon’s financial-aid package “helped a little bit,” but he just loved the environment in Eugene.

“They sent me on a visit, so I stayed the weekend there,” Cleavinger said of KU. “Met with the coaches and everything, and they offered me a spot on the team.

“I loved going to the camps and everything as a kid and have nothing but respect for coach (Ritch) Price and all those guys up there. This was just a better opportunity for me at that time.”

Cleavinger has never been to Baltimore, but he’s thrilled to be a step closer to achieving the ultimate dream of playing in the major leagues.

“I’ll be honest with you, when I talked to him, I broke down crying,” Stoll said. “Emotionally, it’s very, very special. We’re very close with his family, and he’s like one of my own, so it was really special. It’s not about me, but to be a part of his life for as long as I have been, it certainly had a different ring.”