It took longer than anticipated but a handful of Long Island natives were selected on Day 3 of the 2017 MLB Draft. Here’s a rundown of the selections:
Matt Seelinger, FSC (Pittsburgh Pirates, 28th round)
The 2013 graduate of Clarke HS became the first player to get drafted out of Farmingdale State College since Tadeusz Nowakowski in 1978. He had a brilliant stretch of two seasons for the Rams, being named Skyline Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2016 and followed that up with a 4-1 season in ’17, in which he compiled a 1.39 ERA with 69 strikeouts over 51.2 IP. He finishes his career just ahead of me in the program-record book for highest strikeouts per nine (10.6). Their early postseason exit prevented him from compiling some of the numbers that other elite pitchers did. Still, he was invited to the Pirates pre-draft workout and performed very well.
Michael Donadio, St. John’s (Miami Marlins, 30th round)
Donadio and his brother, Mark, were both standout players at Mount Sinai, where they graduated in 2013. He had a stellar career for the Red Storm, finishing as the program-leader in walks (138), runs scored (195) and second in hits (268). This season he hit .374 with 15 doubles, five triples and four home runs. He is an advanced hitter that should be ready to contribute immediately at the professional level.
Ben Brown, Ward Melville (Philadelphia Phillies, 33rd round)
Brown is a terrific story, having undergone a serious appendix surgery last season and rebounded in a big way. He increased his velocity from 83 MPH to 92 MPH this season. He stepped in as the ace of the Patriots and was lights-out all season. He allowed only 17 hits over 40 innings with 67 strikeouts and a record of 5-1. He uses his 6’6″ frame to create a difficult-to-hit downhill plane that left League I hitters baffled. He is committed to Siena College, so he will have to decide whether to fulfill his verbal commit or begin his professional career. Having faced a high-level of competition for the past three years, I expect he will have a smooth transition to the next level.
Ricky Negron, University of Tampa (Atlanta Braves, 34th round)
He is a graduate of Babylon HS where he helped them win the Long Island Championship in 2012. He originally attended Tallahassee CC in Florida, before transferring to Auburn University and now the University of Tampa. He struggled in his senior year, but hit a solid .289 with three HR in his junior year.
Dan Jagiello, LIU Post (Los Angeles Dodgers, 34th round)
A 2013 graduate of West Islip, he was a starting pitcher for his first three college seasons but transitioned to closer this season. It worked out very well, as he compiled a 1.93 ERA with 12 saves over 23.1 IP. He struck out 38 batters and allowed 19 hits. He throws consistently in the low-to-mid 90s. He put himself on the map with a very strong 2015 summer in the Hamptons and Cape Cod Leagues.
Brian Morrell, Shoreham-Wading River (Philadelphia Phillies, 35th round)
We’ve written about Morrell at length. He had one of the best high school careers in NY history. He won consecutive Carl Yastrzemski Awards in 2016-’17 and confounded hitters with his 90+ MPH heat and deadly curveball. He went 10-1 this season and fired three no-hitters. There were rumors that he would get drafted as high as the fourth round but ultimately his strong commitment to Notre Dame was a factor. It is a near certainty that he will fulfill his intent to attend college. The Phillies watched him in his first outing in the Dominican Republic this year and clearly it was enough to warrant a draft pick.
Tyler Osik, Chipola College (Pittsburgh Pirates, 40th round)
He is a 2014 graduate of Shoreham-Wading River. He originally attended Coker College before transferring to Chipola. Osik did not play this year while recovering from Tommy John surgery in the fall, but he was invited to a few pre-draft workouts once he returned to 100 percent. He had a great year for Chipola in 2016, when he hit .329 with five HR and 27 RBI.
Biggest Shocks:
I was most surprised by the neglect of a few particular players–notably Rocky Point ’14 grad Frankie Moscatiello who was named ECC Pitcher of the Year and Adelphi ace T.J. Santiago who was the NE-10 Pitcher of the Year. Both had brilliant seasons and proved themselves to be workhorses that are difficult to hit. Also, I was very surprised that neither Casey Baker or Toby Handley were selected out of Stony Brook. Handley was drafted in the 33rd round last year by the Houston Astros. A number of other players had a chance, but those four certainly appeared like they were the most glaring omissions.
