Former DJack K.C. Hunt was selected in the 12th Round of the MLB Draft by the Pirates.

We love our Jersey boys in the Garden State baseball community and few things give us more of a charge than seeing them selected one after another in the annual Major League Baseball Draft.

While we always feel blessed by the tremendous amount of talent that comes through our program here at Diamond Nation, be it our own Diamond Jacks or our outstanding clientele. So, the MLB Draft can take on a life of its own over the three-day, 20-round event each year.

The 2022 MLB Draft was yet another special one for New Jersey as 18 players with New Jersey roots – six of which came through our Diamond Jacks program – and another four “out of state-based” players who played their college ball at either Rutgers, Seton Hall or Monmouth, also had their names called.

The Draft this year was pushed from June into July and coincided with the MLB’s All-Star Break.

Righthander Nazier Mule of Passaic Tech and lefty Trey Dombroski of Monmouth University each were selected in the fourth round, the two highest picks among Garden Staters. Mule, with his 97 mph fastball, was plucked 113th overall by the Cubs. The 6-2, 195 RHP will have to choose between jumping into the professional pool or honoring his commitment to Miami.

The 6-5, 235 Dombroski, who pitched Wall Twp. to the NJSIAA Group 3 championship his senior year in 2019, had a terrific junior season at Monmouth and was chosen 133rd overall by the Astros.

The next New Jersey player selected in the Draft, 13 spots later and in the fifth round, was the pitcher who absorbed the loss that day against Dombroski. The 6-4, 200-pound lefty Connor Staine, a West Morris grad, was picked by Colorado.

Ramapo High grad K.C. Hunt, a 6-3, 200 righty at 2021 CWS champion Mississippi State, was the first Diamond Jack picked when the Pirates gave him the call in the 12th round at No. 350 overall.

The rest of the Diamond Jacks to receive the honor were RHP Cole Patten (Villanova/Sparta), 17th Round-Detroit, catcher Hugh Pinkney (Ontario/Rutgers commit), 17th Round-San Diego, OF Luke Franzoni (Xavier/Princeton Day), 19th Round-Angels, RHP Drew Conover (Seton Hall University/Voorhees), 20th Round-Detroit, and LHP Shawn Rapp (North Carolina/Delbarton), 20th Round-Cleveland.

One of the cool things that happened in the Draft was the special day had by the Dana family. Don Bosco Prep’s Caden Dana, the NJ Gatorade Player of the Year, was selected in the 11th Round by the Angels. Five rounds later, his older brother, Casey, an outfielder at UConn, was plucked by the Angels, as well.

DIAMOND JACKS SELECTED IN THE 2022 MLB DRAFT

K.C. Hunt – Mississippi State/Ramapo High -12th Round – #350 – Pirates – 6-3, 200 RHP

Cole Patten – Trenton-MLB Draft League/Villanova/Seton Hall University/Sparta HS – 17th Round – #507 – Detroit – 6-4, 194 RHP

Hugh Pinkney – Silverthorn Collegiate, Ontario – 17th Round – #510 – San Diego – 6-2, 185 Catcher – Rutgers Commit

Luke Franzoni – Xavier/Princeton Day School – 19th Round – #568 – Angels -6-2, 220 Outfielder

Drew Conover – Seton Hall University/Voorhees HS – 20th Round – #597 – Detroit – 6-5, 190 RHP – Transferred to Rutgers

Shawn Rapp – North Carolina/Delbarton – 20th Round #601 – Cleveland. 6-2, 200 LHP/Reliever

THE REST OF NJ’s 2022 DRAFTEES

Nazier Mule – Passaic Tech – 4th Round – #113 – Cubs – 6-2, 195 RHP  Miami commit

Trey Dombroski – Monmouth/Wall Twp. – 4th Round – #133 – Astros – 6-5, 235 LHP

Connor Staine – Central Florida/West Morris – 5th Round – #146 – Colorado – 6-4, 200 LHP

Cade Hunter – Virginia Tech/Lenape – 5th Round – #153 – Reds – 6-2, 200 Catcher

Noah Dean – Old Dominion/Pinelands – 5th Round #159 – Boston – 6-2, 185 LHP

Danny Serretti – North Carolina/Gov. Livingston – 6th Round #177 – Detroit – 6-1, 195 SS

Josh Hood – NC State/St. Augustine – 6th Round #186 – Seattle – 6-2, 202 INF

Dale Stanavich – Rutgers/Amsterdam, NY – 8th Round #232 – Marlins 5-11, 175 LHP

Rob Hensey – Monmouth/Campbell Hall, NY – 9th Round #273 – Reds 6-4, 215 LHP

Brian Fitzpatrick – Rutgers/Port Jefferson, NY – 10th Round #312 – Brewers – 6-7, 230 LHP

Caden Dana – Don Bosco Prep – 11th Round #328 – Angels – 6-5, 225 RHP – Kentucky commit.

Ryan Ramsey – Maryland/Pascack Hills – 13th Round #385 – Kansas City – 6-0, 195 LHP

Casey Dana – UConn/Don Bosco Prep – 16th Round #478 – Angels – 6-4, 215 OF/1B

Nick Cimillo – Rutgers/Suffern, NY – Round 16 #470 – Pirates – 6-3, 215 Catcher

Josh Loeschorn – LIU/Butler High – Round 20 #590 – Pirates – 6-3, 215 RHP

Andrew Vail – Rowan/Gloucester Catholic – Round 20 #600 – San Diego – 6-2, 190 LHP