 He was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the third round of the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft, but did not sign, choosing instead to attend Arizona State University, where he played for the Arizona State Sun Devils baseball team.He was drafted again in , this time by the San Diego Padres, in the first round (seventh overall) of the June Secondary amateur draft, but again did not sign.Romanick finally said yes to the California Angels, who drafted him in the first round (fourth overall) of the January Secondary Draft.