South Jersey Well Represented During MLB Draft

It was the Mainland Mustangs who had the highest drafted player in this year's Major League Baseball draft, when pitcher Chase Petty was selected by the Minnesota Twins with the 26th pick.

But he wasn't the only local player to hear his name called during the draft.

Bishop Eustace left-handed pitcher Anthony Solometo was taken with the first pick of the second-round by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Houston Astros selected outfielder, Joey Loperfido of Haddonfield, who is playing at Duke. Former Pennsville star CJ Widger was taken by the Texas Rangers and the Red Sox selected former St. Augustine shortstop Josh Hood, who started his college career at Penn and is now at NC State.

It's another year where South Jersey baseball has been well represented in the MLB Draft. Plenty of minor league rosters and even big league rosters are filled with players from all over South Jersey, including the Cape-Atlantic League.

The most famous Cape-Atlantic League player in the majors is Angles outfield Mike Trout of Millville. 2012 Oakcrest High School graduate Cody Stashak made the Minnesota Twins' opening-day roster. Former Atlantic City high school pitcher Brett Kennedy was called up to the San Diego Padres in 2018 and is currently pitching for the Padres Triple-A team in El Paso.

Plenty of others like pitchers Sean Mooney, Jake McKenna and Danny Nunan of Ocean City are in big league organizations. Mike Adams, who pitched at Holy Spirit and is a co-owner of the Baseball Performance Center in Pleasantville is currently pitching for the Phillies Triple-A affiliate in Lehigh Valley.

Baseball is thriving in South Jersey.