The first Division III player taken in this year's MLB amateur player draft was Hugh Smith, a right-hander out of Whitworth and was the only name called on day two. Christian Cosby, Chapman was the first of 11 players drafted on the third and final day of the MLB draft. Michael Wielansky, a shortstop from Wooster, was the first position player drafted. He was taken in the 18th round.

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Hugh Smith, RHP, Whitworth

Detroit, 6th round, No. 165 overall

Ht.: 6-10. Wt.: 214.
Bats: Right. Throws: Right.
Hometown: Sammamish, Wash.

The Detroit Tigers selected Whitworth pitcher Hugh Smith in the sixth round of the MLB draft, 165th overall. Smith is the fifth Pirate player in school history to be selected in the draft.

Whitworth athletics photo

Smith, a 6-foot-8 right-hander from Sammamish, Washington, is the first Whitworth player taken since the Philadelphia Phillies took Matt Squires in the 19th round of the 2001 draft.  Smith is also the first NCAA Division III player chosen in the 2018 MLB draft.  He was the first player off of the board in the sixth round.

“This is an unbelievable feeling and I am grateful to all of my family and friends for believing in me,” Smith said.  “I am especially grateful to C.J. (Perry) and Dan (Ramsay) for believing in me and giving me a chance, and for giving me the tools necessary to develop as a pitcher.  I also want to thank all my Whitworth teammates and tell them how much I appreciate their friendship and support along the way.”

Smith recently completed his junior season with a 6-1 record and a 1.58 ERA in 62.2 innings.  The Northwest Conference selected Smith as the 2018 NWC Pitcher of the Year and he was named to a pair of All-West Region squads.  He struck out 9.62 batters per nine innings.

Squires had been the highest-drafted Pirate baseball player.  The first three Whitworth players ever drafted were all taken by the Chicago Cubs organization: Mark Linden was taken in the 31st round of the 1989 draft; Bob Mandeville was drafted in the 26th round of the 1984 draft; and James Travis was selected in the 28th round of the 1975 draft.

None of the previous four Pirates selected in the MLB draft ever made it to the major leagues. Only two former Whitworth players have played in the majors. Ray Washburn pitched 10 seasons (1961-70), nine with the St. Louis Cardinals and one with the Cincinnati Reds. He went 72-64 with a career ERA of 3.53. Washburn, who led the Pirates to the 1960 NAIA baseball championship, started two games in the 1968 World Series and went 1-1.

Bill Kelso, a former teammate of Washburn’s for one year at Whitworth (1959), pitched three seasons for the California Angels from 1966-68. His career record was 12-5 with a 3.13 ERA.  He also had 12 saves.

Christian Cosby, RHP, Chapman

Kansas City, 14th round, No. 422 overall

Ht.: 6-5. Wt.: 215.
Bats: Right. Throws: Right.
Hometown: Placentia, Calif.

The Kansas City Royals drafted Chapman junior Christian Cosby in the 14th round of the MLB Draft. Cosby was the first Panther to be drafted since Brian Rauh in 2012.

Cosby came to Chapman as an outfielder and pitcher but only appeared as a pitcher in 2018 for the Panthers. After tossing less than 10 innings in each of his first two years, he worked his way into the starting rotation as a junior. He posted a 2.91 ERA this season in 65 innings of work, going 8-3 with a save.

The 6-5 righty from Placentia, California, tossed an eight-inning gem in the SCIAC Tournament Championship to force the "if necessary" game, which the Panthers went on to win. He allowed just two runs on three hits. In the NCAA Regional, he came out of the bullpen to earn his eighth win of the season, holding Redlands scoreless through five relief frames as the Panthers went on to win 6-5.

Cosby joins a long list of Panthers to be drafted in the baseball program's storied history. He is the 10th player, seventh picher, drafted since Chapman joined the ranks of the NCAA Division III.

Colin Selby, RHP, Randolph-Macon

Pittsburgh, 16th round, No. 474 overall

Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 235.
Bats: Right. Throws: Right.
Hometown: Chesapeake, Va.

Randolph-Macon junior right-hander Colin Selby has been selected in the 16th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the MLB Draft, the 474th player picked.

This is the highest a Yellow Jacket has been drafted in program history. Second baseman James Bachtell was taken in the 25th round by the Minnesota Twins in 1971. Pitcher Travis Beazley was selected in the 38th round by the Boston Red Sox in 2006. Pitcher Perry Yearwood went in the 41st round to the Cleveland Indians in 1969.

Selby had a record-setting season in 2016 for R-MC. He made 15 starts and posted a record of 11-3 with a 2.60 ERA. He set program records for starts and wins. Selby was fourth in the country in victories and fifth in starts. In 97 innings, Selby allowed 80 hits and 30 walks. He struck out 126, the top mark in the nation and a program record.

Selby was named to the ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division III All-America First Team and the D3baseball.com All-America Second Team. He was ODAC Pitcher of the Year and All-South Region First Team by D3baseball.com and by ABCA/Rawlings.

Michael Wielansky, SS, Wooster

Houston, 18th round, No. 522 overall

Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 175.
Bats: Right. Throws: Right.
Hometown: St. Louis, Mo.

Wooster's Michael Wielansky was selected by the defending MLB World Series champion Houston Astros in the 18th round of the MLB draft. Wielansky, the first NCAA Div. III position player drafted this year, was the 552nd selection overall.

Photo by Pat Coleman, D3sports.com

"It's been a lifelong dream since the time I was about 3 years old until now," said Wielansky. "I never thought it was really going to be possible. I want to thank everyone who's been a part of it. I want to thank my coaches who gave me a shot when nobody else did. I want to thanks my teammates. And, most importantly my family. They've been with me since day one and sacrificed so much for me to follow my dream. Now, it's finally becoming a reality, which is surreal."

"That's awesome," said coach Tim Pettorini. "I'm absolutely tickled for him. It's something he's been working towards his whole life. This is phenomenal and I couldn't be happier."

A native of St. Louis, Wielansky was a D3baseball.com first-team All-American and was the Mideast Region Player of the Year this season. Additionally, the junior shortstop became the second player in NCAA Div. III history to record 200 hits, 200 runs, and 150 RBI before the end of his junior year. On the year, Wielansky hit .401 (79-for-197), led Div. III in runs with 76, and tallied up 50 RBI, 40 walks, 20 doubles, seven triples, and six home runs.

Wielansky, who became the third player in program history to earn first-team ABCA All-American honors in back-to-back years, was tabbed as the best defensive shortstop in Div. III as a sophomore and earned a coveted gold glove award. The junior is nominated for the honor again this year, and the recipients will be announced later this month.

While his play at the College has been phenomenal from day one as a first-year, Wielansky's play in the Valley Baseball League last summer really boosted his draft stock. Wielansky earned the summer collegiate wood bat league's MVP honor after turning in one of the highest batting averages – .432 – since the league became a NCAA-sanctioned summer league in 1961. Wielansky's .489 on-base and .677 slugging percentages, hits (67), runs (38), and doubles (18) all were tops in the league during the 42-game regular season.

Wielansky's the 14th Wooster great to either be drafted or sign a professional contract with a MLB team since 1970, and the first since alumnus Matthew Johnson inked a free agent deal with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2010. The last Wooster great to have his named called at the draft was alumnus Jared Treadway, who was a 46th round selection by the New York Yankees in 2002.

Michael Mateja, 3B, North Central (Ill.)

LA Angels, 25th round, No. 742 overall

Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 200.
Bats: Right. Throws: Right.
Hometown: Bourbonnais, Ill.

North Central athletics photo by Steve Woltmann

North Central's Mochael Mateja was selected in the MLB draft, selected in the 25th round by the Atlanta Braves.

Mateja was selected 742nd overall out of 1,214 total players drafted spanning three days and 40 rounds.  Mateja was the fifth NCAA Division III player chosen and the second position player, while a total of 12 Division III players were selected this year.  As a standing junior, Mateja will have to decide whether to sign with the Braves or return to North Central for his senior season by the signing deadline on July 6.
 
Mateja was named a second team All-American by both D3baseball.com and the American Baseball Coaches Association, becoming just the third player in program history to earn All-America honors in back-to-back seasons.

He was also named Central Region Player of the Year by D3baseball.com for the second consecutive season, leading the team batting .444 to go along with 54 runs scored, 72 hits, 20 doubles, four triples, four homeruns, 38 runs batted in, 27 walks and a .534 on-base percentage.

His .444 average was good for eighth on the program's single-season list, while his 20 doubles rank third, 72 hits, 54 runs scored and .534 on-base percentage rank fifth.
 
He is the sixth Cardinal player selected in the MLB draft and the first since Nick Robinson '10 in 2010, picked in the 39th round by the Boston Red Sox.  Pitcher Todd Trunk was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 98th round in 1996, while catcher Sean Delaney was picked in the 23rd round by the Kansas City Royals in 1992, pitcher Brian Zimmerman selected in the 33rd round in 1998 by the New York Mets and outfielder Craig Stefan drafted in the 33rd round by the Milwaukee Brewers in 1986.

Colin Morse, RHP, Shenandaoh

Washington, 26th round, No. 791 overall

Ht.: 6-5. Wt.: 195.
Bats: Right. Throws: Right.
Hometown: Vienna, Va.

Standout pitcher Colin Morse has become the second member of the Shenandoah baseball program drafted since 2016 with his selection by the Washington Nationals.

Morse, the Hornets' No. 1 starter, was selected by the Nationals in the 26th round and was the 791th player picked in the MLB draft.

The Vienna, Virginia native joins his brother, Phil Morse, in the Nats organization. The elder Morse was picked in the 16th round (pick 484) of the 2016 draft. Phil Morse is currently assigned to Class A Hagerstown of the South Atlantic League.

Colin Morse finished his Shenandoah career with a 27-5 record and 270 strikeouts in 284.2 innings pitched. He was a three-time All-ODAC honoree including being named as the 2017 ODAC Pitcher of the Year.

His strikeout total is tops all-time at Shenandoah with his 27 wins second only to Greg Van Sickler.

Morse will report to the Nationals spring training home in West Palm Beach, Florida for assignment to one of its minor league affiliates. In addition to Hagerstown, the Nats have a Gulf Coast League Rookie team in Florida and a short season Class A team in Auburn, New York.

Heath Renz, RHP, UW-Whitewater

Tampa, 27th round, No. 810 overall

Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 210.
Bats: Left. Throws: Right.
Hometown: Jefferson, Wis.

UW-Whitewater senior Heath Renz was selected in the 27th round of the MLB draft by the Tampa Bay Rays.
 
Renz, who is the 810th pick overall, is the 15th Warhawk taken in the draft in program history and the first since 2016, when fellow pitchers Lake Bachar was taken in the fifth round by the San Diego Padres and Austin Jones was drafted in the 26th round by the Chicago Cubs.
 
Renz was selected first team All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and second team All-Midwest Region by D3baseball.com this season after posting a 5-3 record, a 3.15 earned run average and 70 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings over 12 appearances. The right-hander's performance helped UW-Whitewater win the WIAC regular season championship and reach the NCAA Tournament for the 11th straight season.
 
As a junior in 2017, Renz was named first team All-America by D3baseball.com, third team All-America by the American Baseball Coaches Association, consensus Midwest Region Pitcher of the Year and WIAC Pitcher of the Year. He tallied a 9-0 record with a 1.91 ERA and held opponents to a .215 batting average.
 
Renz finished his career ranked seventh in program history in career strikeouts (198) and ERA (2.75), eighth in win-loss record (21-4) and ninth in innings pitched (202.2).

Joel Condreay, RHP, Whitworth

Colorado, 31st round, No. 936 overall

Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 183.
Bats: Left. Throws: Right.
Hometown: Renton, Wash.

The Colorado Rockies selected Whitworth's Joel Condreay in the 31st round of the MLB draft with the 936th overall pick, marking the first time that two players have been selected in the same draft.

Whitworth athletics photo

Condreay becomes the sixth player in Whitworth history taken in the MLB draft, joining teammate Hugh Smith, selected by the Detroit Tigers in the sixth round on Tuesday.

“I want to thank my parents for all they’ve done for me,” Condreay said.  “I also want to thank Coach Ramsay and Coach Perry for the opportunity to play at Whitworth and the Rockies organization for the chance to continue playing baseball.”

Condreay, who played mostly shortstop at Whitworth, was drafted as a pitcher.  Condreay began to appear on scouts’ radar last fall when those scouts came out to watch Smith.  On a whim Condreay asked to throw as well and was clocked in the mid-90’s with his fastball.

Condreay was announced as a 2018 Google Cloud Academic All-America® Division III baseball honoree on Tuesday morning.  He led the Pirates in batting average (.355), on-base percentage (.438) and slugging average (.532) in 2018. He also led the squad in doubles (16) and runs batted in (27). Condreay made four relief appearances on the mound. He graduated in May as an accounting major.

With Condreay added to the list, Whitworth has now had six players selected in the MLB draft.

Condreay expects to find out his minor league assignment in the next couple of days.  One possibility is Boise, where the Hawks are Colorado’s representative in the Northwest League.

Rainier Aguilar, C, Redlands

San Diego, 33rd round, No. 981 overall

Ht.: 5-11. Wt.: 200.
Bats: Right. Throws: Right.
Hometown: San Bernardino, Calif.

The San Diego Padres selected Redlands senior catcher Rainier Aguilar in the 33rd round of the MLB draft on the final day of the three-day event.

Aguilar is Redlands' first draft pick since Tom Bennett, who was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the eighth round of the 1995 draft.

"I am so blessed and grateful for this opportunity," said Aguilar. "I am thankful for every single person in my life who has helped me get here, [including] my parents, my friends, and especially my coaches.  I'm super thankful for what Coach Holley, Coach RG [Ryan Garcia], Coach Jerry, and all of the Bulldog baseball family have helped me achieve."

Over the course of the 2018 campaign, Aguilar put up outstanding numbers while resetting the Redlands single-season record with 22 doubles, which also places him fifth in NCAA Division III. He also finished the season with a .327 batting average and a team-leading 48 RBI, 56 hits, and 38 runs scored.

Defensively, Aguilar threw out nine would-be base-stealers, racked up 292 putouts and 33 assists, and held a .972 fielding percentage.

As a four-year Bulldog, he finished his outstanding career with 137 hits, including 39 doubles, for a batting average of .360.  He knocked in 100 RBI and registered a slugging percentage of .509. While serving as Redlands' primary backstop throughout the latter part of his career, he recorded 592 putouts and 69 assists for an impressive .985 fielding percentage. With a quick release, he also fired down 22 attempted base-stealers.

Aguilar's career at Redlands culminated in an All-America nod, a pair of All-West Region honors, and two All-SCIAC awards, as well as being named the D3baseball.com's 2017 Gold Glove Catcher of the Year.

"Rainier has had a great career here at Redlands and his hard work has culminated in an opportunity to play professional baseball," coach Aaron Holley stated. "He was the (Division III baseball) Gold Glove winner last year and our team MVP, and was a big part of the success we had as a team this year. Rainier will do a great job, and we know that he will represent the Bulldogs with class and character."

Charlie Ruegger, RHP, Stevens

New York Yankees, 33rd round, No. 997 overall

Ht.: 6-6. Wt.: 218.
Bats: Right. Throws: Right.
Hometown: Morris Plains, N.J.

Stevens junior pitcher Charlie Ruegger was drafted with the 997th overall pick by the New York Yankees in the MLB draft. Ruegger is only the second player in program history to be selected in MLB's First Year Player Draft, and the first in 45 years. Dave Garcia was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 23rd round of the 1973 MLB Draft.

"I would like to thank my family for always supporting me with everything," Ruegger said "I also want to thank my teammates and coaches who have pushed me to be the best player I can be. To be drafted is a great honor that I really have no words for. I am extremely grateful that the New York Yankees organization saw my ability and potential. The whole process has been very exciting and I am beyond thankful that it ended with this outcome. I'm excited to see where this journey will take me, but I will always be a Duck!"

Stevens athletics photo

"I am very happy for Charlie," said head coach Kristaps Aldin. "He's a great person and has worked really hard throughout his time at Stevens both on and off the field. I know that his best is still yet to come."

In just his first season as a full-time starter, Ruegger posted one of the best seasons on the mound in program history. The Morris Plains, New Jersey, native went 8-2 with a sparkling 2.58 ERA and set a new program record with 97 strikeouts, en route to earning First Team All-New York Region recognition from the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA). The tall right-hander, named Empire 8 Conference Pitcher of the Year, hurled 80 1-3 innings, spun three complete games, including one shutout, and led the E8 in both wins and ERA. Ruegger fanned at least six in every start and posted a pair of double-digit strikeout performances, highlighted by a one-hit, 15-strikeout gem against SUNY Canton on March 30, which garnered Division III National Pitcher of the Week honors for the junior hurler from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Over his three seasons on Castle Point, Ruegger has 11 wins against only three losses with 142 strikeouts in 133 innings. The righthander spent his sophomore campaign at the back end of the Stevens bullpen and finished tied for 14th in the country with eight saves.  

After pitching in the Coastal Plain League between his sophomore and junior campaigns, Ruegger is currently pitching for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters of the prestigious Northwoods League.

David Garcia is the only other Duck ever drafted. The pitcher was taken by the Minnesota Twins in the 23rd round (530 overall) in 1973. He played for eight years in the minor leagues with the Twins, Royals, Tigers and Pirates organizations, reaching as high as Triple-A.

Cory Heitler, RHP, Ramapo

Cincinnati, 34th round, No. 1009 overall

Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 205.
Bats: Right. Throws: Right.
Hometown: Fair Lawn, N.J.

The Cincinnati Reds selected Ramapo junior right hand pitcher Cory Heitler in the 34th round of the MLB draft, 1,009th overall. Heitler became the third Roadrunner to be selected in the MLB Draft in the last six years while he was one of 12 NCAA Division III athletes selected over the last three days.
 
Heitler set the single season strikeout record at Ramapo with his 112th of the season during the NCAA Regional Tournament. Heitler finished the season with 113 strikeouts in 84.2 innings pitched. He tallied a 2.34 ERA along with an 8-2 win/loss record while he made 12 appearances on the mound and four complete games. He fired two shutouts while opponents batted .174 against him. Heitler, who recorded the third no-hitter in program history this season, also earned D3baseball.com Mid-Atlantic All-Region Second Team and NJAC Second Team All-Conference honors this season. Heitler also became just the third pitcher in program history to record over 100 strikeouts in a single season.

Previous draft picks on the last six years were Joe Venturino, Seattle Mariners, 36th Round, No. 1,077 overall in 2016 and PJ Cerreto, Cincinnati Reds, 40th Round, No. 1,215 overall in 2013.

Victor Cavalieri, LHP, Houghton

Atlanta, 36th round, No. 1072 overall

Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 180.
Bats: Left. Throws: Both.
Hometown: Greece, N.Y.

Houghton graduate Victor Cavalieri will get to continue his baseball career after being selected by the Atlanta Braves in the MLB draft.

Cavalieri, who just finished his final season as a Highlander, was taken in the 36th round. He joins Houghton men's soccer alumni Steve Burke (Buffalo Stallions of the MISL) as the only Highlander athletes to be picked in a professional draft.

"I'm still pretty speechless. This is a dream come true. It's a tremendous opportunity and a blessing from God," said Cavalieri. "I'd like to give a big 'thank you' to my coaches and teammates for helping to build me into a better man."

The senior left-hander led NCAA Division III in strikeouts per nine innings (15.00) during his final season, fanning 100 batters in only 60 innings. He posted a team-best 3.30 ERA while going 5-5 and establishing new Houghton records for strikeouts in a single season, strikeouts in a career (211) and tying the career mark for victories (11).

This spring he had five games of at least 10 strikeouts (seven in his career), including a career-high 14 against SUNY Canton.

The 6-foot-1 native of Greece, N.Y. was named to the Empire 8 Conference Second Team and D3baseball.com Third Team All-New York Region after the season.

"This is a very exciting day for Victor, our program and our campus community. Vic has put in a lot hard work and it's great to see him get a chance at the next level," said Highlander Head Coach Brian Reitnour. "Victor grew tremendously during the past four years, not only as a player but also as a man. The response from his teammates, opposing coaches and players, and others from all different areas has been amazing, and is truly a testimony to Victor's character. He has a lot of backers in his corner when he takes the mound again."