By: Josh Stevens 

The weekends are usually a big time for the SFCBL. Doubleheaders are played, which often shakes up the standings. However, this past weekend was even more important for the league, as the SFCBL was very well represented in the draft. 

You’ve probably already heard about Nolan Schanuel, who became the highest-drafted player in SFCBL history, as he went 11th overall to the Angels. You can check out my longer piece on Schanuel on this site, but the big reason why Schanuel got drafted so highly is his advanced feel at the plate. The 2020 Buccaneer, who hit .270 with more walks than Ks in the league, led college baseball in OBP and OPS while finishing second in average in his final year at FAU. 

Gavin Dugas was picked with the 165th pick in the 6th round by the Nationals. Dugas was teammates with Schanuel on the Bucs and hit three homers with a .900 OPS in 2020. Dugas was a key starter for LSU’s national championship squad, as he hit .290 with 17 homers in 2023, including a huge home run in the College World Series final. 

The Pirates picked LHP Hunter Furtado two picks after Dugas was selected. Furtado played in the SFCBL from 2020-2022, playing with both the Bucs and Lightning. Furtado racked up the strikeouts with a 13.5 K/9 in 2021 and 2022. The lefty reliever continued this trend at Alabama, where he struck out 38 batters in 36 innings in 2023.

Ryan Bruno, another lefty reliever, was selected with the 205th pick in the 7th round by the Diamondbacks. Bruno was a Clipper in 2020 and an Xtreme in 2022. He only gives up one run in 10 innings of SFCBL work. Bruno was nasty at Stanford, posting a K/9 close to 15 (56 strikeouts in 34 innings) in 2023. 

Gavin Adams, an RHP out of Indian River State, was drafted with the 315th pick in the 11th round by the Nats. Adams only pitched in six innings for the Blazers in 2022 but showed his great potential by only giving up one run while striking out 10. 

The next SFCBL alum drafted was also a Blazer, as LHP Timmy Manning was drafted by the Giants in the 12th round. Manning posted a 1.00 ERA in nine for the Blazers in 2022, striking out 14 along the way. He continued his impressive performances at Arizona State, where he struck out 11 guys per nine innings in 53 innings in 2023, including nine starts.

The Cardinals drafted Jacob Odle out of high school in the 14th round. Odle pitched in 12 innings for the Knights, where he struck out 17 guys in 12 innings. He will look to make an impact for Orange Coast College in the 2024 season. 

The first position player on this list in a while, Zach Arnold was also selected by the Phillies in the 14th round. Arnold hit .294 with a .402 OBP for the Barracudas in 2020. He had a breakout year in 2023 for Houston, as he hit .365 with a .450 OBP and blasted 13 home runs. 

The Pirates drafted Daniel Cuvet out of high school in round 17. Cuvet attended Florida Virtual School and is still operating as a two-way player, playing corner infield and pitches. Cuvet is also currently a Blazer. 

Bradley Stewart is also a Blazer who was drafted out of high school in the 17th round by the Tigers. While an injury cost Stewart some time in high school, the 18-year-old lefty can already run it up to the low 90s with a wipeout breaking ball. He is committed to Eastern Kentucky. 

Michael Rodriguez was drafted in the 18th round by the Giants. Rodriguez was a Buccaneer in 2022. He had a 3.12 ERA and a whopping 20 strikeouts in 8.2 innings. He continued this at North Greenville, as he went 7-0 with a 2.45 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 40 innings. 

The first of three UDFAs, Landon Wallace was a Lightning in 2020. He enjoyed a solid year for West Virginia in 2023, hitting .312 with 11 homers and an OPS north of 1.000. 

Caleb Pendleton was a Buccaneer in 2020. The catcher hit .185 in 24 games in the SFCBL but showed a lot of defensive talent. He hit .250 over his career with FAU while showing off his great defense. 

Finally, Ruddy Gomez was a member of the Lightning in 2021. He posted an ERA of 3.71 while striking out 24 batters in 18 innings. He got a lot of work at UCF in 2023, recording an ERA of 5 and had 78 strikeouts in 72 innings.