More area players selected on third day of MLB draft

A pair of American Heritage prospects were selected on Wednesday, 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, who went 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 the Washington 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 former Wellington 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 just wrapped up his 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 round to the New York Mets. Eder is signed to Vanderbilt.

Benjamin alum Bennett Sousa, a left-handed pitcher, was taken by the Nationals 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 saw former Sagemont pitcher Niko 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.