It took two days for A.J. Van Slyke to realize what he was doing.

The former Kansas outfielder, who was drafted in the 23rd round by his hometown team, the St. Louis Cardinals, in last week’s Major League Baseball Draft, was involved in a fielding drill on his second day as a Cardinal when a coach stopped him.

“You’re a professional baseball player,” said the coach. “You guys should be making these plays.”

Even though he had signed a contract and was playing on the same field that months earlier was occupied during spring training by the St. Louis Cardinals, Van Slyke had yet to let it sink in.

“That’s when it hit me,” said Van Slyke. “I was a professional baseball player.”

The situation was unique for Van Slyke. Not only are the Cardinals his home town and favorite team, his father, Andy Van Slyke, played for the Cardinals for three seasons. In his 13-year Major League career, his dad was a three-time all-star and won five gold gloves. It was his dad who screamed the loudest in the Van Slyke household on draft day.

“On the second day of the draft, I was glued to the computer. I was watching and listening to the picks,” Van Slyke said. “Somehow, my dad had gotten a hold of my draft number, and they always call out the number before the name, so as soon as they read the number, my dad started screaming. Once I heard them say my name, I didn’t know what to say. I was almost dumbfounded.”

Van Slyke signed on June 10, for a salary of $1,100 a month, and reported to extended spring training, held at the spring training complex of the St. Louis Cardinals, in Jupiter, Fla. After a week and a half of getting to know all of the fellow draft picks, they broke camp on June 18. Van Slyke was sent to Johnson City, Tenn., the Cardinals Rookie League affiliate.

The transition from college baseball to professional baseball is not the only transition that Van Slyke had to make.

“The Cardinals called the day before the draft, and asked me if I could play first base,” Van Slyke said. “I told them I had never played it, but I was sure it was a transition I could make.”

The switch was not easy for Van Slyke at first, who used the help of his new coaches to quickly learn his new position.

“At first it was tough. I took a lot of balls off of my chest,” said Van Slyke. “The coaches have been helping me a lot. The difference in one week is like night and day. Today, I only missed one.”

After a week of playing professional baseball, Van Slyke was happy with how things were going.

“The first week has been great,” Van Slyke said. “It’s been really hot. We get to the park about 7 or 7:30 and are on the field by 8:30. We have been practicing fundamentals, infield plays, bunts, learning how the organization wants things done. Then we take batting practice and scrimmage.”

Even though his dad was a successful Major League player, Van Slyke developed his own drive to be a baseball player. His dad didn’t force him into baseball, and it was A.J. who often asked his dad to help, Van Slyke said.

“Growing up as the son of a Major League player, it’s in your blood. Baseball is just a part of your life. You have a different perspective of the game,” Van Slyke said. “My dad never told me to play. He never dragged me into the batting cage or took me to work out. I was about 14 when I finally asked him to work with me. I was always the one pulling him into the cage.”

The Van Slyke family made history during the draft last week. Scott Van Slyke, A.J.’s younger brother, who just completed high school, was also drafted. He went to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 14th round. After researching the topic, the Van Slykes said they believed this to be only the second set of brothers to ever be drafted in the same year.

Now it is time for Van Slyke to show the Cardinals that they made the right choice in drafting him. After he packed his car and he was ready to report to Florida, his dad left him with one final thought.

“He told me that I had my opportunity and that my foot was in the door, which is all I wanted,” Van Slyke said. “Now it’s up to me. If I’m better than the kid next to me, it doesn’t matter what round I was drafted in.”