FORT WORTH, Texas -- Fans entered Cowtown Coliseum on Sunday buzzing in anticipation for their favorite Major League team to get the best pick of the night in the 2024 MLB Draft. They also witnessed history being made when Laila Robins and Luis Amador walked onto the stage to close out the first round.

For the first time, two Nike RBI participants were invited to announce the first-round picks for their associated MLB club. Robins and Amador were chosen to represent the Astros and Rangers, respectively.

Robins revealed Walker Janek, a catcher from Sam Houston State University, as the Astros’ No. 28 pick. Robins' contributions to her teams on the field led to her becoming the representative for the Astros Nike RBI softball team on the Draft stage.

Robins helped her team win the 2023 Nike RBI Softball World Series Championship in August and also led the Heights High School softball team to the fourth round in the state playoffs for the first time in the school’s history.

“I’m just ready for the World Series to roll back around again,” Robins said. “Honestly, I can’t wait for our team to bring back home another trophy.”

Those same teammates she played with in the Nike RBI Softball World Series were present at the Draft and supported her by cheering her on from the stands. The recent Heights graduate fed off the energy, imitating the same dance shown on the video screen behind her.

“I love my teammates,” she said. “They are so supportive and loving. We all just get along very well and we always root for the best for each other and that’s what matters.”

After Arizona made its No. 29 overall pick, Amador announced Stanford catcher Malcolm Moore as Texas’ No. 30 pick. As he walked onto the stage, he said the cheers of the fans helped to calm his nerves, and having practiced Moore’s name a few times before announcing, he was confident.

“I was blessed to be the first one of the players to represent the Rangers here at the Draft, and I am honored and I am very grateful,” said Amador.

Amador has played four seasons in the Nike RBI League and has been an active member of the Rangers Youth Academy since 2020. He is best known for competing with “high energy and a tremendous attitude.”

His next step is to play collegiate baseball at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. Amador hopes to one day return to the stage not as an announcer, but as a draftee himself.

“It’s always been a dream for me to play in MLB,” he said. “I’m going to keep working hard, do my stuff, and hopefully I’m up here being one of the players picked.”