Saint Louis alum Caleb Lomavita, who turned down a significant professional contract offer out of high school to play three seasons at California, was rewarded for that decision.

The 5-foot-11 catching prospect was selected by the Washington Nationals with the 39th overall pick of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft Sunday.

He is the eighth Hawaii high school graduate selected in the top 40 picks of an MLB Draft. The slot value for the No. 39 pick is listed at $2.395 million.

Lomavita, a two-time, All-Pac-12 first-team selection, had his junior season at Saint Louis wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic and played a limited senior season.

He was not selected in the 2021 MLB Draft after deciding he would attend college and not sign for what he was offered.

Lomavita was named a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American after his first season at Cal and made the Cape Cod League All-Star game both summers he played in it.

He is seventh on Cal’s career list in home runs with 38 and tied for ninth with 141 RBIs.

Lomavita is the 20th Crusader alum selected in the draft and the first since Aiva Arquette, who was drafted out of high school in 2022 but decided to attend Washington instead.