Drohan picks FSU over Phillies
Cardinal Newman pitcher will play for Seminoles.
For the third straight day local players had their named called at the Major League Baseball draft Wednesday.
Two days after the Arizona Diamondbacks chose Palm Beach Gardens grad Pavin Smith with the No. 7 overall pick in the first round and one day after the Los Angeles Dodgers chose Park Vista senior James Marinan with the 25th pick in the fourth round (130th overall), several other locals were taken, including Cardinal Newman pitcher Shane Drohan. But Drohan told The Post he will not sign with the Philadelphia Phillies after being chosen with the eighth pick of the 23rd round (683rd overall).
“It’s been an honor to be on this ride all the (way) up to the draft,” Drohan said in a text message. “I want to thank the Philadelphia Phillies for giving me the opportunity to start my professional career, but I will be attending Florida State University.”
Drohan, a Florida State signee, went 3-4 in 10 appearances (six starts) this season, but posted a 2.00 ERA while striking out 78 in 42 innings.
Drohan can hit the low 90s with his fastball to go along with a curveball and change-up, according to this MLB scouting report.
The first local off the board Wednesday was John I. Leonard alumnus and current Palm Beach State College pitcher Jared Johnson, taken by the Washington Nationals with the 28th pick in the 17th round — 523rd overall. Johnson was 6-3 with a 3.38 ERA as a freshman.
“Jared had a great year for us this year,” PBSC coach Kyle Forbes told the Post in a text message. “Jared is an awesome competitor, and the Nats are getting a good one!”
■ Former Wellington infielder and current PBSC sophomore Matt Morales gets selected 690th overall by the Kansas City Royals.
Morales had a triple-slash line (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage) of .311/.388/.453 this season. “Morales was an outstanding shortstop who made all the plays for us,” Forbes said. “He is a plus runner and a solid switch hitter.”
■ The New York Yankees selected Dwyer pitcher Shane Roberts with the 17th pick of the 28th round (842nd overall). Roberts, a South Carolina signee and Florida’s Class 7A Player of the Year, went 9-1 this season with a 0.82 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 56 innings pitched.
■ The Marlins selected Palm Beach State freshman and former Seminole Ridge pitcher Kyle Farjad with the 14th pick in the 33rd round. Farjad, a firstteam All-Area selection last year, went 5-1 with a 1.69 ERA with Palm Beach State this season.
■ The Nationals selected Virginia pitcher and Benjamin alum Bennett Sousa with the 1,033rd overall pick. Sousa, a junior, has a 7-0 record and a 5.68 ERA over three seasons with the Cavaliers.
■ One pick after Sousa was selected, the Texas Rangers selected Chipola College outfielder and Trinity Christian alum Edmond Americaan with the 1,034th overall pick. Americaan, a first-team All-Area pick last season, had a triple slash line of .364/.462/.455 this season.
■ The Tampa Bay Rays selected Florida Gators catcher and Palm Beach Gardens alumnus JJ Schwarz in the 38th round with the No. 1,129 pick.
Schwarz, who was a two-time firstteam All-Area pick with Gardens, is hitting .271 with 12 home runs this season. Florida will play in the College World Series, which begins Saturday in Omaha, Neb.
Schwarz was drafted in the 17th round by the Milwaukee Brewers coming out of high school in 2014.