Wood assigned to Burlington Royals

BURLINGTON — Ryan Wood, who only a few weeks ago was playing second base for East Carolina, has hardly had any time off.

Wood, of Woodbridge, Va., was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 11th round, reported to rookie camp in Arizona and was assigned to the Burlington Royals, the major league affiliate’s rookie league team.

Burlington is a familiar part of North Carolina for Wood, whose Pirates played at Elon this season.

“I’ve had two days off,” said Wood, who was not complaining. He was perfectly content to be fully immersed in professional baseball, even if was at the bottom rung of the Royals’ farm system.

Wood, accustomed to aluminum bats, will have to find his groove with a wooden bat, which he hasn’t used since his sophomore year in a summer league.

He hasn’t reflected much on his college career, which ended at the hands of North Carolina, which defeated them twice in Chapel Hill in a Super Regional.

“We had a great year,” said Wood. “It’s something I’ll think about when I’m done playing this year. Right now I’m focused on getting better.”

Wood was in back in North Carolina for Sunday’s exhibition game against the Catawba Valley Stars, and Balls and Strikes caught up with him.

The Burlington Royals return from a six-game road trip on Monday, when they start a three-game set with the Bluefield Orioles, but Sunday he was heading over to Greenville to pick up his car, which he left behind after being drafted.