Meo Officially Signs with Diamondbacks

After being selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second round of the Major League Baseball Draft in June, Anthony Meo, a Cranston West grad, has signed a contract with the team and will forgo his senior year of college.

The Providence Journal reported that Lou Nero of Octagon Sports Management confirmed Meo signed a contract with the Diamondbacks last week and will receive a $625,000 signing bonus and $80,000 in education payments so he can meet degree requirements and finish school.

Meo was 10-3 with a 2.16 ERA this past season for Coastal Carolina. Listed as the No. 19 prospect in the MLB Draft by ESPN, he has been playing ball since his childhood in the CLCF.

Meo went 11-0 in his senior year as a Falcon and in college, he was first-team All-American with a 13-2 record with a 2.61 ERA last year as well as the Big South Conference pitcher of the year.

In a June interview during the Falcons' championship season, Falcons Head Coach Rob Malo said Meo was unhittable during his junior year of high school in 2007. He went 9-0 and notched a minuscule .77 ERA. That got him the MVP at the state championship and led the Falcons to another title in 2008. In the clinching game against Coventry, he struck out 14 batters and pitched a 3-hit shutout.

"For him to have success it means a lot to us," Malo added, "He was a big part of our program for three years."

Similar to this year's all-state catcher and , Meo had a level head and was focused on helping the Falcons win.

"His priorities were pitching for us and trying to win another state championship," the coach said.

Meo possessed the mental make-up of a kid being scouted at every game, but was focused on the team first.

"It says a lot about a kid’s character and make-up," Malo said.