LORMAN &8212; So now Bradley Hubbert has a decision to make: college or pro?

&8220;You probably know more than I do,&8221; he responded.

It&8217;s decision time for the Alcorn State catcher after the New York Mets picked him in the 32nd round of the Major League Baseball first-year player draft. Hubbert said the news kind of came out of left field on Wednesday, but it was good news nonetheless.

He was the second Alcorn player to get drafted in as many seasons after the Colorado Rockies took Corey Wimberly in the sixth round last summer.

&8220;They didn&8217;t even call me at the beginning,&8221; Hubbert said. &8220;(Teammate) Marcus Davis let me know. They called me later that afternoon, but I was in the weight room when I found out. I&8217;m excited, and I&8217;m feeling a little pressure about what my decision is going to be. But I guess it&8217;s a good situation to be in.&8221;

Team officials weren&8217;t surprised Hubbert went in the draft, but they did receive some shock when Davis didn&8217;t get picked. Both were solid contributors for the Braves this past spring, with Hubbert finishing the season with a .416 average with 10 homers, 60 runs batted in, 15 doubles and 22 stolen bases.

Hubbert has the frame, too, at 6-3, 215 pounds to be a prospect to play behind the plate.

&8220;I went to a workout the day after the (SWAC) tournament, and they showed some interest in me then,&8221; Hubbert said. &8220;I was hoping, but I wasn&8217;t trying to get my hopes up too much.&8221;

It was news to head coach Willie &8220;Rat&8221; McGowan, who thought Hubbert would have went higher than the 32nd round. The veteran coach can advise him on which direction to go now &8212; one option being if he returns to school in the fall, the Mets lose their right to him and he can re-enter the draft next season.

Or, McGowan said, he could sign now and go pro. Hubbert said he&8217;s a year and a couple classes short of a degree.

&8220;I thought he might have gone in the 20-something rounds,&8221; McGowan said. &8220;He&8217;s going to come back. Going that low, there&8217;s no money in that. He&8217;d be a fool to take that and give up his schooling. He can show up (next year), do better and might go higher. It might be worth it coming back.&8221;

Davis, meanwhile, didn&8217;t get the call this week as coaches anticipated. He was Alcorn&8217;s most productive hitter this spring, but he will be back next season, and Hubbert may join him. Hubbert, a Georgia State transfer, will spend the summer in Nevada, Mo., playing for the Nevada Griffins along with ASU teammate Shawn Taylor to keep sharp.

And when he&8217;s not playing ball, he&8217;ll work on making that decision. College or pro?

&8220;I&8217;m excited. It&8217;s been something I&8217;ve wanted for a long time,&8221; Hubbert said. &8220;I&8217;m too excited to be disappointed. My folks have been stressing education, but right now I don&8217;t know.&8221;