SANFORD, Fla.- The Florida Collegiate Summer League saw nine of its alumni selected in the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft, which concluded Monday, with another signing a free agent deal in the last week. The ten players represent all six of the current Florida League franchises, and come from teams over the past four Florida League seasons.

The following players, all of whom signed an FCSL contract at some point, were drafted by Major League organizations this week:

Kyson Witherspoon became the fourth former Florida Leaguer in the last five years to be drafted in the first round, going 15th overall to the Boston Red Sox. Witherspoon came out of the bullpen on Opening Day for the Sanford River Rats in 2023, tossing 3.1 innings before heading off to Oklahoma, where he starred for two seasons.

Malachi Witherspoon joined his twin brother in professional baseball just hours later, hearing his name called by the Detroit Tigers in the second round. Witherspoon was Sanford's Opening Day starter in 2023, and tossed ten scoreless innings across two outings for head coach Kevin Davidson's team. Witherspoon was coming off a year at Northwest Florida State in 2023 before he moved to Oklahoma.

Brooks Bryan was busy during the summer of 2023, playing in the Florida League All-Star Game, NACSB Prospect Games, and with the FCSL's Bananaball team during his time as a member of the league champion Leesburg Lightning. The Alabama native from Troy University will begin his professional career as a member of the Kansas City Royals after being picked in the eighth round.

Ty Van Dyke was a dominant bullpen arm this spring at Stetson, but first he was a standout in the Florida League for the 2022 Leesburg Lightning, earning FCSL Reliever of the Year honors and helping Leesburg to that year's Florida League Championship Series. Van Dyke will start his time in professional baseball as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals organization after being picked in the tenth round.

Blake Fields continued a spring and summer to remember, becoming the first current Florida Leaguer to be selected. The Houston commit, who earned FCSL All-Star honors after winning a state championship and being named Orlando's high school baseball Player of the Year at The First Academy, was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 14th round.

Jared Davis joined the Winter Garden Squeeze for the stretch run in 2023, and helped the team to the Florida League Championship Series for the first time in franchise history. Davis hit nine home runs and drove in 44 runs for Virginia Tech this past spring, leading to his selection in the 17th round by the Athletics.

Brody Donay took the Florida League by storm in 2022, hitting .471 in his seven games in July for head coach Matt Swiderski and the Seminole County Snappers. Donay was at Virginia Tech at the time before moving on to complete his collegiate career in-state with the University of Florida. The catcher will remain in-state as a 17th round selection of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Meridian Leffew became the second Florida League player on an active roster to hear his named called, going in the 19th round to the Detroit Tigers. Leffew, who is signed to play his college baseball at UCF, has played eight games for the DeLand Suns this summer, joining the team after his senior season at Gaston Christian School in North Carolina, where he helped the Eagles to a state championship series berth.

Juan Cruz was signed to play for the Winter Garden Squeeze this season, fresh off a collegiate year where he was the national leader in hits. Cruz logged 106 hits and hit .416 for Alabama State this season, and finished off the nine Florida League draft picks with his selection in the 20th round by the Washington Nationals.

Additionally, these Florida League alumni signed free agent contracts in the week following the Draft. 

Reece Wissinger pitched in six games for the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs last season, striking out 15 hitters in 10.1 innings before joining the Florida League's Prospect Games team in Lynchburg, Virginia. After starring for NAIA Southeastern University this spring, Wissinger signed a free agent contract with the Toronto Blue Jays organization.

The Florida League congratulates all of these players on their achievements, and wish them all the best of luck on the start of their professional journeys.