In his first year with the Princeton Rays, former Illini center fielder Willie Argo hit .301 in 64 games and stole 17 bases. The Tampa Bay Rays selected Argo this past summer in the 22nd round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft. It was the third and highest time Argo had been drafted. Argo has been back on campus working out as he prepares report to spring training in Port Charlotte, Fla., on March 5. The Daily Illini got a chance to catch up with Illinois’ all-time stolen base leader.

Daily Illini: Describe how you felt getting drafted and knowing you’d be a part of the Rays organization.

Willie Argo: It was honestly just a relief more than anything. Junior year was kind of a disappointment and I thought I would be gone. All my classmates I’d played with were gone, so senior year I was just hoping to get drafted and get a chance. I was nervous and wasn’t even watching it, my mom and my little brother started yelling in the next room, so I was just glad to get the opportunity.

DI: What will you remember most fondly about your time at Illinois?

WA: It’s got to be my teammates. Coming here every day, it can be a grind three, four hours a day sometime, but just messing around in the outfield in (Irwin Indoor Facility) and talking to the guys and competing with them on the field. That’s what I’ll remember the most.

DI: Stolen base record, what does that mean to you?

WA: It’s definitely something I’ll remember. (Illinois head) coach (Dan) Hartleb gave me a little plaque with the base and the stolen base record on it, so that was really cool. It’s something you remember anyway. This is a big-time Division I university, and any time you hold a record, it’s pretty awesome.

DI: Where’d you put that plaque?

WA: It’s in my brother’s room, which is my old room, right next to my jersey that I got on senior day.

DI: How’s the experience of minor league baseball been?

WA: It’s a lot different. It’s a job. I was in a little town in West Virginia, a lot different than what I was used to. But the people there were really nice. I’m playing with guys from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela that don’t speak any English at all. Eighteen-year-olds that would be freshmen here and I was 22, almost 23. You’re at the field from almost 1 to 11 every day, so it’s an entire day playing baseball.

DI: So not as glamorous as they make it sound?

WA: Oh, nothing’s as glamorous as they make it seem. I am living the dream, but it’s kind of hard. I’m not complaining at all; there’s nothing to complain about, but it’s a lot of work, and you don’t get paid a lot of money, and you got to really love the game and have a drive to make it to the big leagues because that’s the ultimate goal.

DI: You obviously haven’t made a lot of money yet, but did you buy anything special with the money you have made?

WA: Oh no, I just bought my bats and my gear that I needed for the year and spent the rest at Applebee’s.

DI: You’re a part of an organization that’s been to World Series and is thought to be one of the best run in baseball. How is it?

WA: I’ve only been with them for a couple months, but everything is very uniform everyone dresses the same — everyone does the same thing, and they get things done better that way. Everybody’s on the same program, so I think as you got up in levels that helps that it’s very uniform and they got a good idea what to do with it.

DI: What can we expect from Illini baseball this year?

WA: I think they got a really good team. I was surprised to see them lose two out of three this weekend, but they got some good young pitching, some experience at the plate, on defense, and I expect them to be really solid.

DI: What can we expect from Willie Argo this year?

WA: Hopefully make a full-season team and be consistent, play the best of my abilities. I’m a grinder, I’m going to play hard every day. I know minor leagues is supposed to kind of be for yourself, but I’m going to try and help my team win whatever way I can, and I think that’s just kind of how I’ve always been and you can continue to expect from me.

Jamal can be reached at [email protected] and @jamalcollier.