Nathan Adcock looks to Kansas City Royals teammate Joakim Soria for inspiration.
In 2006, the Royals picked Soria from the San Diego Padres in the winter meeting draft. Soria has developed into an All-Star closer, with 43 saves in 2010.
The Royals selected Adcock in the winter meeting draft in December from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Adcock, who turns 23 on Feb. 25, has never pitched above Single A, but the Royals will give him an extended look in spring training.
"That gives me hope, the kind of year he had last year," Adcock said of Soria.
Adcock went 11-7 with a 3.38 ERA as a starter last year for Bradenton in the Florida State League.
When the Pittsburgh Pirates did not put Adcock on their 40-man big league roster, the Royals chose him in the winter meeting draft for $50,000.
The Royals have to keep him on their active major league roster all year or be offered back to the Pirates.
"I have to have a really good camp to make the team," Adcock said. "There's a lot of good talent, young pitchers and a lot of competition. I've got to perform to get the job, got to do my best."
Royals pitching coach Bob McClure said "you don't run into a Soria very often" in the winter meeting draft.
For every Soria, there is an Edgar Osuna, a left-handed pitcher the Royals picked in the same draft the previous year, but he failed to make the club.
"He (Soria) knew he could do it, nothing overwhelmed him," McClure said. "It was like he knew what he was doing."
Adcock has made a favorable early impression, but he has thrown only bullpen sessions and batting practice.
"He looks pretty good," McClure said. "I think there was a little bit of a tiny mechanical issue as far as his landing. He looks pretty accurate. If he can throw it where he wants to, then we'll just see how his stuff plays out in the games. You don't know how it's going to play out against big league hitters.
"If you're going to jump from Rule 5 to pitch in the big leagues, mentally you've got to be very confident and you've got to be able to execute that confidence."
Adcock throws an 88-93 mph fastball, a changeup and a breaking ball. He has been primary a starter in five minorleague seasons.
"I was half asleep when they called me at nine in the morning," Adcock said of being picked by the Royals.
"I tossed and turned all night thinking about it, hoping to get Rule 5. I didn't really expect to, but I'm happy I did. My agent said there probably would be some teams interested because you had a good year last year. He was just basically trying to keep me confident, keep my hopes up."
Adcock was a fifth-round pick of the Seattle Mariners in 2006 after going 12-2 with 140 strikeouts as a senior at North Hardin (Ky.) High. He had a baseball scholarship to Louisville.
"I'm a huge Kentucky fan, so I caught a lot of grief for signing with Louisville," Adcock said.
He never made it to the Louisville campus, instead opting to turn pro after receiving a $200,000 signing bonus from Seattle.
The Mariners traded him to the Pirates on July 29, 2009, in a seven-player deal with Seattle acquiring Jack Wilson and Ian Snell.
The Royals have six rotation candidates with major-league experience, so Adcock's best chance to make the staff could be as a long reliever.
"I'm open to anything," Adcock said. "I don't care as long as I can help the ball club compete and win the division. This is my first big-league camp. My eyes were big coming into camp for my first time, seeing some of the big league guys walk around, being in the same clubhouse with them is an honor and something you always dreamed of as a little kid.
"I'm more anxious to get the games going and get on the mound. I'm sure my heart will be pounding. I think I'll be all right."