Danny Hudzina had “honestly written off” his MLB Draft prospects for Friday.

The draft was deep into its 10th round, the last round to be announced for the day. Hudzina, the former Western Kentucky standout, figured his phone wouldn’t ring until Saturday, when rounds Nos. 11-40 were to be conducted.

Then Hudzina’s phone finally rang, and it was the St. Louis Cardinals telling him he was their 10th-round selection.

“I got the call with five picks left saying they were going to take me and I said, ‘Let’s do it,’” Hudzina told the Daily News on Saturday. “I was very excited at that point. It was kind of like a surprise.

“It really did come out of nowhere. I really thought it was going to happen the next day. So it was great to hang out with my family and really enjoy the moment.”

Hudzina became the 19th Hilltopper to be selected since the 2009 season and 54th overall WKU player to be drafted. He joined former WKU players Anderson Miller and Andrew Edwards as active Hilltoppers in the affiliated professional ranks.

Hudzina spent Friday with his parents, girlfriend and some family friends, waiting on the call. He was scheduled to have a party with more friends and family Saturday night, he said.

“I mean, it’s very important to me because every single person that was there last night had seen me grow and had been a part of this thing,” Hudzina said. “It was really special. …

“Everybody in my family and my friends and my girlfriend, they’ve all been so supportive. I was so blessed to have them.”

Hudzina is a 5-foot-11 native of Palm City, Fla., who said he grew up a short drive from the Cardinals’ spring training headquarters in Jupiter, Fla.

Hudzina went to those spring training games growing up and said he “always dreamed” of being part of the St. Louis organization.

Hudzina is the third player in WKU history to be drafted by the Cardinals organization, joining Steve Stemle (1998) and Don Durham (1970). Former Hilltopper Marty Madson also signed for the Cardinals back in 1980.

When Hudzina signs his deal with St. Louis, he will become the 106th Hilltopper player to sign a professional contract and the 23rd to do so since 2008.

Hudzina closed out his career at WKU this season with a .408 batting average on 89 hits and 18 doubles. He became the 14th WKU player in the last 56 years to lead WKU in batting average and hold an average over .400

Hudzina was also the first WKU player to hit .400 for a season since Josh Patton hit .419 in 1997 and first C-USA player since Chad Zurcher of Memphis did so in 2011.

With the .408 average, Hudzina moved into the Top 10 in school history in multiple single-season categories. He spent a majority of the season either leading or in the top three in the NCAA in hits, collecting one in 47 of 54 contests.

Hudzina extended a hitting streak to 29 games at the start of the year and reached base safely in every game but two in 2016.

The Cardinals “said that I’ve shown that I can handle the bat and I play a great third base,” Hudzina said. “I have the ability to move to catcher if anything happens.”

Hudzina will report to either Johnson City, Tenn., or State College, Pa., in coming days to take a physical and then begin his pro career.

The Cardinals are a first-class organization,” Hudzina said. “They’re winners in my eyes. You can’t ask for anything better.

“They have such a great farm system. I’m so happy to be able to go in there and have them develop me. It’s going to be a great ride with the Cardinals.”

-Follow Daily News sports reporter Brad Stephens on Twitter @Stephens_Brad or visit bgdailynews.com.