Chester, Lepore lone UM players selected More area players selected on third day of MLB draft
Through the first two days of the Major League Baseball draft, the Miami Hurricaneswatched as several of their incoming freshmen got the call, calls that may keep those players from ever suiting up for Miami.
On Wednesday afternoon, the first current Hurricane got the call.
Junior outfield Carl Chester, who led Miami in several offensive categories last season, was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays, who selected him in the 12th round with the 349th overall pick.
During a season in which Miami’s offensive struggled, Chester was a consistent performer, leading theHurricanes with a .281 average, 41 runs scored and 13 doubles. He also had 17 multihit games, four home runs and 34 RBI.
Later Wednesday, pitcher Jesse Lepore became the second Miami player taken in the draft when he was selected by Colorado in the 24th round with the 716th overall pick.
Lepore had a 4.83 ERA last season and had 56 strikeouts in 69 innings.
Whether Chester or Lepore will sign with their respective teams or return to Miami for their senior years will likely be determined later this summer, but they won’t be the only ones with Miami ties that will have to decide what to do with their baseball futures.
The Hurricanes had three of their signees — shortstop Jeter Downs, third baseman Joe Perez and shortstopMarkVientos — selectedonthe firstday of the draft. Drafted since were signee James Marinan, who was a fourthround pick of the Dodgers, pitcher Chris McMahon who was a 33rd round pick of the Braves and pitcher Robert Touron and third baseman Raymond Gil who were each selected in the 37th round by the Reds and A’s respectively.
Perez, who was the Sun Sentinel Class 6A-1A Player of the Year, told the Sun Sentinel late Monday night that he expects to sign with Houston, which selected him in the second round.
Meanwhile, Marinan, a pitcher out of Park Vista High, may have indicated his intentions on Tuesday writing on Twitter “Beyond blessed and excited for the opportunity to pursue my dream and become a LA Dodger!!” drafted.
House still has a year of eligibility remaining, and can opt to return to school.
House moved into the Owls’ rotation for the first time this season after two seasons in the bullpen. He started 13 games and posted a 4.71 ERA, primarily as FAU’s Friday night starter. Late in the season, the Owls deployed House from the bullpen, inserting him midgame then asking for multiple innings.
At times, House was untouchable this season. He threw two complete games. In his final three appearances (all in relief ), House threw 13 innings and gave up just two earned runs on eight hits and two walks. But he also mixed in subpar performances against Illinois, Charlotte and Southern Miss.
House’s selection marks the 12th straight year the Owls have had a player drafted. Last season, shortstop C.J. Chatham became the highest-drafted FAU player ever when the Red Sox picked him in the second round at pickNo. 51.
A pair of AmericanHeritage prospects were selected onWednesday, the third day of the Major League Baseball draft.
Outfielder Justin Connell and pitcher Christian Santana both heard their names called early in the day, going in the 11th and 15th rounds, respectively. Connell went 343rd overall to the Washington Nationals, while Santana was selected 444th by the Milwaukee Brewers. Both players are FIU signees.
Coral Springs pitcher Max Lazar, whowent to the Brewers in the 11th round, got the call 19 spots ahead of Connell. The FAU signee was drafted 324th overall.
John I. Leonard alum Jared Johnson kicked off the day for Palm Beach County draft hopefuls as he was scooped up by theWashington Nationals in the 17th round. Johnson, who pitches for Palm Beach State, was the 523rd overall pick.
The 23rd round featured a pair of Palm Beach county selections in Cardinal Newman’s Shane Drohan and formerWellington standout Matt Morales. Drohan, a left-handed pitcher, was rated as MLB’s 80th-ranked draft prospect, but fell to the Philadelphia Phillies with the 683rd pick. Drohan is a Florida State signee.
Morales went off the board seven picks later to the Kansas City Royals. The infielder justwrappeduphis sophomore season at Palm Beach State.
Three rounds later, St. Thomas Aquinas alum Jordan Spicer was selected by the Minnesota Twins at No. 766th in the 26th round. A right-handed pitcher, Spicer plays at Polk State College.
Dwyer senior righthander and South Carolina signee Shane Roberts was taken in the 28th round (842 overall) by the New York Yankees.
The Miami Marlins drafted former Seminole Ridge pitcher Kyle Farjad, also a Palm Beach State College product, 989th overall in the 33rd round.
Calvary Christian lefty Jake Eder, was the 66th-ranked prospect, according to MLB.com, went 1,027th overall in the 34th roundto theNewYorkMets. Eder is signed toVanderbilt.
Benjamin alum Bennett Sousa, a left-handed pitcher, was takenbytheNationals at No.1,033. With the next pick, the Rangers took Edmond Americaan. The former Trinity Christian outfielder spent this past year at Chipola College.
In the 37th round, Douglas infielder David Vasquez, signed to N.C. State, was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Palm Beach Gardens alum and University of Florida catcher JJ Schwarz was taken early in the 38th round.
The draft’s 40th and final round sawformer Sagemont pitcherNiko Leontarakis selected by the Baltimore Orioles after his first season with Tallahassee Community College.
An interesting selection, American Heritage-Delray student Myles McKisic was picked in the 23rd round by the Texas Rangers. Attending the school but not playing for the Stallions, the infielder trains separately with travel teams and is a Pensacola State commit.