Shortened MLB Draft filled with NJCAA talent
15 current and former NJCAA Baseball standouts were selected in the 2020 MLB Draft
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 |
