METS SELECT 11 PLAYERS ON DAY TWO OF MLB DRAFT
FLUSHING, N.Y., July 10, 2023 — The New York Mets today made 11 selections in rounds 3–10 to complete day two of the 2023 First-Year Player Draft.
With their first selection in the third round, the 91st overall pick, the Mets took Two-Way Player Nolan McLean from Oklahoma State University. The Willow Spring, NC native posted a 3.30 ERA (11 ER/30.0 IP) over 14 pitching appearances, while sporting a .532 SLG over 124 at-bats this past season. The six-foot-four, 214-pounder was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team at utility in 2023. In 2022, McLean was a semifinalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award and became the third player in Oklahoma State history to earn All-Big 12 selections at two different positions. McLean was previously drafted by the Orioles in the third round (81st overall) of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft.
The Mets drafted RHP Kade Morris from the University of Nevada with their second selection in the third round (101st overall pick). The №142 prospect according to MLB Pipeline and the №166 prospect according to Baseball America, Morris struck out 85 batters over 81.0 innings and tossed two complete games in 2023. The Turlock, CA native was an All-Mountain West Second Team selection in 2022. He is the highest draft pick from the University of Nevada since RHP Braden Shipley was taken 15th overall by the Diamondbacks in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft.
New York took RHP Wyatt Hudepohl from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the fourth round. The six-foot-four, 220-pounder was named to the All-Conference USA First Team in 2023 after he went 7–6 with a 4.27 ERA (50 ER/105.1 IP) and recorded a Conference USA — best 129 strikeouts over 17 starts. Hudepohl spent his first two collegiate seasons at the University of Kentucky from 2021–2022.
The Mets had two compensatory picks following the fourth round. WIth their first compensatory pick, New York took SS A.J. Ewing from Springboro High School (OH). The University of Alabama commit batted .648 (13–19) with three home runs during Prep Baseball Report’s National Program Invitational in 2022.
Austin Troesser, a right-handed pitcher from the University of Missouri, was New York’s second compensatory selection. The Loose Creek, MO native went 5–3 with a 4.73 ERA (24 ER/45.2 IP) in 22 appearances (three starts) in 2023. Troesser recorded a career-best seven strikeouts over 4.2 hitless innings against the University of Tennessee on March 19.
With their fifth-round pick, the Mets took LHP Zach Thornton from Grand Canyon University. Thornton, 21, was a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top college baseball player. A Second Team All-WAC Selection in 2023, Thornton went 9–2 with a 3.87 ERA (38 ER/88.1 IP) and 91 strikeouts in 15 starts this past season. Thornton recorded a career-best 13 strikeouts over 7.0 scoreless innings on March 10 against New Mexico State. The Lawrence, KS native previously pitched collegiately at Barton CC (KS).
In the sixth round, the Mets drafted RHP Jack Wenninger from the University of Illinois. The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder went 7–4 with a 4.59 ERA (41 ER/80.1 IP) over 16 games (15 starts) in 2023. Wenninger struck out 11 batters over 5.0 innings in his 2023 debut against Youngstown State on February 18 and threw a complete game, one-hitter with no walks and seven strikeouts on April 29 at Ohio State. A native of Cary, IL, Wenninger began his collegiate career at Murray State in 2021 and was named to the All-OVC Freshman Team.
New York took RHP Noah Hall from the University of South Carolina with their seventh-round pick. The 6-foot, 195-pounder went 5–1 with a 3.29 ERA (15 ER/41.0 IP) in seven starts last season before missing the remainder of the season due to injury. Hall was named SEC Pitcher of the Week for the week of March 27 after striking out 10 batters over 7.0 innings of one-run ball on March 25 vs. Missouri. The №202 prospect according to Baseball America, Hall was previously drafted by the Brewers in the 20th round of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft. The Charlotte, N.C. native played two seasons at Appalachian State University prior to transferring to the University of South Carolina.
SS Boston Baro from Capistrano Valley HS (CA) was taken in the eighth round by the Mets. The №98 prospect according to Baseball America and the No, 224 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Baro walked (14) more times than he struck out (four) this past season. The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder is committed to play collegiately at UCLA.
In the ninth round, New York drafted 3B Nick Lorusso from the University of Maryland. The Monroe, CT native was named to the All Big-Ten First Team for the second straight season and earned Second Team All-American honors from both Baseball America and D1Baseball. Lorusso established Maryland program single-season records for home runs (26), RBI (105) and extra-base hits (48). His 105 RBI were tied for the most in Division I college baseball this season and were the most by any Division I player since Billy Becher recorded 118 RBI for New Mexico State in 2003. His 175 career RBI are a Maryland program record, accomplished in just two seasons. Lorusso began his collegiate career at Villanova University.
The Mets’ final pick of day two of the 2023 First-Year Player Draft was Christian Pregent, a catcher from Stetson University. The Daytona Beach, FL native posted career highs in both home runs (12), RBI (46), OBP (.394) and SLG (.567). An elite defensive catcher, Pregent committed only four errors in 150 career games over four seasons at Stetson.
New York will conclude its draft tomorrow with 10 more selections in rounds 11–20.
