Washington Nationals draft Dusty Baker’s son, Darren Baker, in 27th Round of 2017 MLB Draft...

Maybe this will finally change things for Darren Baker, but not likely. Just about every story you see today on the 18-year-old infielder getting selected in the 27th Round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals, including this one, will mention the following...

Until now he’s been best known as the bat boy/kid J.T. Snow saved from potential disaster back in the 2002 World Series.

Darren, then just three years old, was serving as the bat boy for the team his father managed.

He ran to the plate to get a bat without anyone noticing, while the ball was in play, and had to be pulled out of the way by Snow as the Giant crossed the plate:

Darren is 18 now, and was eligible for selection in this year’s draft. The younger Baker also signed a commitment to play for the University of California, Berkeley, but his father, who is managing the Nationals now (if you somehow didn’t know), told reporters this past weekend that he would consider turning pro if he was drafted high enough.

“He’s had a bunch of pre-draft workouts,” Dusty Baker said this weekend. “I’m sure he’s anxious, a lot like I was.

“He’s had a bunch of pre-draft workouts,” Dusty Baker said this weekend. “I’m sure he’s anxious, a lot like I was.

“I was anxious, both anxious and disappointed, when my name wasn’t called till the third day, you know what I mean, but either way his future is bright.”

Baker had to wait until the 26th Round of the 1967 Draft. The Atlanta Braves selected him with the 504th overall pick, and though he said he had some reservations about playing in the South at that point, he said in hindsight “... that was the best thing that happened to me, so a lot of times what you want and what life wants are two different things.”

As for his son?

“Either you go to Cal, or if he’s drafted real, real, real high there’s a possibility, and if he’s not then he’ll go to Cal. We’ll see.”

Darren had to wait one more round than his father, but he was drafted today by the team his father has led to a 134-92 record 64 games into his second season in D.C.