The son of one of the victims of the 2015 Charleston church shooting by Dylann Roof was drafted Wednesday by the Chicago Cubs. Chris Singleton, an outfielder with Charleston Southern University, was selected in the 19th round (585th pick) by the defending World Series champions.

Singleton’s mother, Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, was at Emanuel AME Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, and was among the nine parishioners killed by Roof in a racially motivated mass shooting. Roof pleaded guilty and was convicted of murder in December 2016 and was sentenced to death in January.

The massacre stunned the nation and prompted widespread mourning and sympathy for the first independent black denominational church in the United States. President Obama delivered the eulogy and led the spontaneous singing of "Amazing Grace."

"I just say love is always stronger than hate," Chris Singleton said a day after the shooting. "If we just love the way my mom would, then the hate won’t be nearly as strong as the love is."

Singleton comes from an athletic family. Coleman-Singleton served as a high school track coach. Singleton’s father, Chris, passed away this past February. He played football at Tennessee State.

After his father's death, Singleton and a friend started Moore Clean Pools to earn a living.

Singleton is listed at 6 feet and 175 pounds. According to the Charleston State University athletic website, Singleton majored in kinesiology.

The Cubs drafted Singleton purely for baseball reasons. Jason McLeod, senior vice president of player development for the Cubs, described Singleton as a "very athletic, a plus runner, plus defender, base-stealer."

“We certainly understand the backstory there, but what I want to make sure doesn’t get lost is that this guy is a good baseball player,” McLeod told reporters.

Singleton finished his junior season playing all 51 games and batting .276 with four home runs, 21 RBIs and 18 stolen bases. Scouts have also praised his strong arm.

Singleton had thoughts about his mom on the day he was drafted. He posted on Twitter: "A LOT of GOD. & a little me. #CantLetMomsDown #RIPDad."

"It's not really a sad thought at all," Singleton said. "It's more of a happy thought. I always say, 'I don't want to let my mom down,' and today I think I'm definitely not doing that."

Singleton is not to be confused with another baseball player of the same name who also happened to play centerfield. Christopher Verdell Singleton, 44, played six seasons in Major League Baseball from 1999 to 2004, most notably with the Chicago White Sox.