League News
14 PGCBL Alumni Chosen on Day Two of 2021 MLB DraftThe names of 14 former Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL) players were called on the second day of the 2021 MLB First-Year Player Draft on Monday, July 12. Eight different PGCBL teams saw alumni selected between rounds No. 3-10, led by the Amsterdam Mohawks with five picks. The Albany Dutchmen and Newark Pilots also had multiple picks with two apiece. Elmira, Glens Falls, Oneonta, Mohawk Valley, and Utica each had one former player taken on Monday. Major league franchises from all corners of the country were represented by PGCBL alumni. The Detroit Tigers, Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres, and St. Louis Cardinals each chose two former PGCBL ballplayers, while Baltimore, Kansas City, Oakland, Los Angeles (AL), Seattle, and New York (AL) had one apiece. The first player with ties to the PGCBL that was taken was Dylan Smith, a right-handed pitcher from Alabama. Smith appeared in 12 regular-season and two postseason games for the 2019 Amsterdam Mohawks, totaling 41 strikeouts in 28.0 innings of work. Detroit took Smith with the 74th pick in the third round. The Orioles continued their tradition of drafting PGCBL talent two spots later. With the 76th pick, Baltimore snagged 2019 Oneonta Outlaw John Rhodes of Kentucky. As an Outlaw, Rhodes swung a hot bat, hitting .316 with 24 RBIs and 24 runs scored in 36 games. He joins an organization that already boasts names such as former Mohawk Valley pitcher John Means and former Utica outfielder Cedric Mullins, the starting centerfielder for the American League in this year’s All-Star Game. Below is the complete list of PGCBL players who were taken on the second day of the 2021 MLB Draft:
What They’re Saying; Analysis from MLB.com Pick 9 (110th overall), Angels: Luke Murphy, RHP, VanderbiltIt’s always news when a Vanderbilt pitcher gets selected, and while Murphy didn’t come with the same focus as starters Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker, he was still a crucial piece of the Commodores’ staff. The righty earned the win in a regional-deciding matchup with Georgia Tech this year, then notched a save against East Carolina in super regional play. Pick 17 (118th overall), Marlins: Tanner Allen, 1B, Mississippi StateAllen, a 2021 college national champion, is also a three-time draftee. He was taken by the Cubs in the 36th round in 2017 out of high school and two years later by the Rockies in the 34th round as a Draft-eligible sophomore. In 2021, the first baseman upped his stock 30 rounds after batting .383/.456/.621 and posting 11 home runs and 66 RBIs in 67 games for the Bulldogs. Pick 7 (139th overall), Royals: Eric Cerantola, RHP, Mississippi StateBeing drafted is nothing new to Cerantola, in more ways than one. The righty was selected by the Rays in the 30th round in 2018 before going to Mississippi State for his college career. He was also selected in the eighth round of the Ontario Hockey League draft in 2016. While the 2021 season was a struggle -- he posted a 5.71 ERA in 10 games (four starts) -- and Cerantola wasn’t on Mississippi State’s College World Series team, his fastball still reaches 100 mph, and his curveball is a plus pitch. |
![]()
Browse by Month »
January 2022 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 June 2020 May 2020 March 2020 January 2020 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 March 2019 January 2019 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 November 2010 |