DANBURY, CT (June 14):  The Danbury Westerners, the longest tenured team in the prestigious (“NECBL”) New England Collegiate Baseball League, are proud to announce that six of its former ballplayers were selected in the 2017 Major League Baseball amateur draft.

In the 18th round, Chris Morris, a member of the 2015 team, was drafted by the Texas Rangers.  Morris is a right-handed pitcher who started eight games for the Westerners, posting a 2-3 record.  

In the 19th round, outfielder Joey Bartosic, another member of the 2015 team, was selected by the Colorado Rockies.  Bartosic only played 11 games for the Westerners before suffering a season-ending injury, but got 12 hits and scored six runs, while hitting .273.

In the 22nd round, right handed pitcher Bryce Conley was drafted by the Oakland A’s.  Conley, a member of the 2016 Danbury Westerners appeared in three games, posting a 0-1 record.

In round 25, the Detroit Tigers selected right handed pitcher Dylan Stock, another member of the 2016 Westerners’ staff. Stock appeared in eight games, six of them starts, and went 1-3.  Stock also started one game in the playoffs.

In round 34, the Los Angeles Dodgers selected Dan Jagiello, a right-handed pitcher and the third member of the Westerners’ 2016 pitching staff to be drafted.  Jagiello joined the team later in the season as the team’s closer, and in 11 games he posted a 1-2 record with one save and averaged nearly 13 strikeouts per nine innings.  Jagiello also appeared in two games in the playoffs, where he did not allow a run and notched one save.

In the 37th round, Corey Merrill, a right-handed pitcher from the 2014 Westerners team, was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Merrill appeared in one game for the Westerners, striking out five batters in his three innings, before succumbing to injury.  He is the 10th member of the 2014 Danbury Westerners team to be drafted, and the 14th member of the 2014 team to be signed by a Major League franchise.

The Danbury Westerners congratulate all our former players selected today, and wish them continued success as they embark on their professional baseball career.

About Danbury Westerners
The Danbury Westerners compete in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, the premiere summer league for college athletes to play competitive, wooden-bat baseball in the New England region.  The mission of the Danbury Westerners is to provide summer professional development baseball entertainment in the Greater Danbury CT and NY area to enhance social and economic development and add value to the quality of summer living and vacationing throughout the region.  Funded in part by Major League Baseball, in 2016 the Danbury Westerners will be celebrating 23 years in the New England Collegiate Baseball League.  To date 21 former Danbury Westerners have made the Major Leagues, and 50 former Westerners were playing professional baseball in 2016.