The 2019 Draft List

Here is the list of the 49 former Valley Leaguers who were picked in the MLB draft from Monday through Wednesday. (I must say, the time difference made this one pretty tough… staying up for Round 40 at 1 AM is never good.)

As usual, if I’ve missed anyone, please drop me a line. I am particularly vulnerable with 2019 players. I got Jackson Tate down there in the 32nd round (Waynesboro 2019), but there might be more.

Charlottesville leads the way with 13 selections, New Market has 7, and Strasburg has 6. Front Royal and Waynesboro have 5, and Harrisonburg and Purcellville have 4. Winchester has 3, Staunton 2, and Covington and Woodstock each have one. (If you add up the team numbers, it comes to 51 because Matthew Koehler and Will Guay played for two different VBL teams.)

To put the total in perspective, 49 is actually quite good (which reinforces my sneaking suspicion that the talent in the league has been improving over the past few years). The total this year is the most since 49 were drafted in 2014, and more than double the low-water mark of 24 in 2016. Things are trending up!

Another number that stuck out to me is the six catchers drafted this year, the most since 10 were picked in 2011 (when 72 total players were picked).

As usual, there were players that expected to be picked, but were not. Some of those will be signed as undrafted free agents in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for updates on them!

AND, the Purcellville Cannons have just announced that Fordham’s Anthony Zimmerman (2018) signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds! So there’s one….