​MONROE – The party guests started to file out.It looked like they weren’t going to get what they came to see.The family of Monroe High graduate Noah Miller rented a local restaurant Sunday in hopes of allowing friends and family join in the celebration of his being selected in the Major League Baseball draft.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementScouts had told him that he would be picked between the sixth and eighth rounds.More: Vote now for the best male athlete in Monroe County Region historyBut as the rounds ticked off and Miller’s name was not called, hopes began to dwindle.“Already some family members were leaving,” he said. “They could not stay any longer.  They said, ‘Sorry’ and ‘Keep your head up.’”2022: Catcher Noah Miller of Monroe sets to place the tag onto Garrett Sharp of Dexter who beat the tag and called safe which tied the score in the sixth inning 4-4 Friday, May 27, 2022. Monroe gave up four runs in the seventh for the lost 8-4.Even Miller thought he would have to put his professional dreams on hold and return for another season at the University of Michigan.“It got to be like the 16th round and my agent called to keep me updated,” Miller said. “He said, ‘It’s not looking great. To be honest, I don’t think it’s going to happen.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“Around the 17th round, I called one of my coaches at Michigan and was venting, letting it all out. I said, ‘I’ve hit almost .300 two years in row and have arguably some of the best defensive numbers in the country and I’m not getting drafted.’”Noah MillerMiller went out to his car and composed an e-mail to the 80 to 100 youth baseball players he instructs on the art of catching.“I was about to put out my lesson schedule in a mass text,” he said. “It said, ‘I didn’t get drafted, so I’ll be doing lessons.’ Just before I hit send, my agent called he said, ‘Hey, Noah, the Astros are going to draft you.’”Instead of sending out the lesson schedule, he went back to the party.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMiller originally was told he would be picked in the 20th round, but Houston actually pulled the trigger one round earlier.He was the 571st player selected.“It kind of happened all at once,” he said.It was a rapid conclusion to a long, frustrating day.Miller arrived at the restaurant at 10 a.m., about 90 minutes before the draft resumed for rounds 5-20.He finally was picked at around 6:30 p.m.Noah Miller of Monroe threw a shut out in five innings over Bedford Wednesday May 11, 2022 as the Trojans won 10-0.“It was awesome,” he said. “I got 30 texts in about 10 seconds. I shut my phone off. I wanted to be in the moment.”Miller didn’t keep his phone turned off.“I probably had close to 1,000 texts,” he said. “I replied to every single one. I was up until about 2 a.m. Those are the people who helped me get to where I am. I wanted to thank all of them.”AdvertisementAdvertisementA