Shortened MLB Draft filled with NJCAA talent

Charlotte, NC – Despite a shortened MLB Draft, the 2020 class was well-represented by NJCAA Baseball standouts. In just five rounds, 15 current and former student-athletes were selected on the two-day event.

San Jacinto (TX) boasted four of the 160 total draft picks, including the first NJCAA representative to be called in Alerick Soularie, a former NJCAA All-America selection who led the Gators to the NJCAA Division I Baseball World Series in 2018. Soularie, who moved on to Tennessee, was the No. 59 overall pick to the Minnesota Twins. The Gators' rich MLB history grew in the fourth round as current hard-throwing left-handed pitcher Luke Little was selected by the Chicago Cubs with the No. 117 pick. Former San Jac right-handed pitcher and current Oklahoma standout Dane Acker saw his name on the big board at No. 127. The final Gator of the night was current right-handed pitcher Mitchell Parker who went in the fifth round at No. 153 overall to the Washington Nationals. The Gators extended their streak of multiple current student-athlete draft selections to five years.

The first selection drafted straight from an NJCAA member college was Connor Phillips of McLennan (TX). The right-handed hurler caught the attention of MLB scouts in his lone season with the highlanders despite a shortened campaign due to COVID-19. Phillips was selected by the Seattle Mariners with the No. 64 overall pick. The Magnolia, TX native becomes the second Highlander in the last three years to earn the honor as the first current NJCAA student-athlete to hear their name called in the MLB Draft. Josh Breaux was selected with the No. 61 overall pick in the 2018 draft.

Traditional NJCAA powerhouse programs lit up the big board with multiple draft selections. Along with San Jac's four picks, Northwest Florida State earned three selections, including current right-handed pitcher Beck Way in the fourth round to the New York Yankees. A pair of Walters State (TN) alums were drafted in Landon Knack and Tyler Gentry, separated by just 16 picks. Former McLennan alum turned Auburn standout, Bailey Horn was selected in the fifth round to give the Highlanders multiple selections.

Wabash Valley's (IL) Adisyn Coffey, who played for the San Jac Gators in 2019, made an impact with the Warriors in 2020 that resulted in the No. 83 overall pick to the White Sox.

NJCAA Student-Athletes in 2020 MLB Draft
Round Pick Name POS NJCAA College NCAA College MLB Team
2 59 Alerick Soularie OF San Jacinto (TX) Tennesee Minnesota Twins
2 60 Landon Knack RHP Walters State (TN) East Tennessee State Los Angeles Dodges
2 64 Connor Phillips RHP McLennan (TX) - Seattle Mariners
3 76  Tyler Gentry OF Walters State (TN) Alabama Kansas City Royals
3 78 Kaden Polcovich 2B Northwest Florida State Oklahoma State Seattle Mariners
3 83 Adisyn Coffey OF Wabash Valley (IL) - Chicago White Sox
4 108 Jack Hartman RHP Central Florida Appalachian State Pittsburgh Pirates
4 114 R.J. Dabovich RHP Central Arizona Arizona State San Francisco Giants
4 117 Luke Little LHP San Jacinto (TX) - Chicago Cubs
4 127 Dane Acker RHP San Jacinto (TX) Oklahoma Oakland Athletics
4 129 Beck Way RHP Northwest Florida State - New York Yankees
5 138 Logan Hofmann RHP Colby (KS) Northwestern State Pittsburgh Pirates
5 142 Bailey Horn LHP McLennan (TX) Auburn Chicago White Sox
5 150 Eric Orze RHP Northwest Florida State New Orleans New York Mets
5 153 Mitchell Parker RHP San Jacinto TX) - Washington Nationals

 

 

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