Nine shot players with ties to Southern Nevada were selected connected the last time of the 2026 MLB draught connected Sunday successful Philadelphia.
Four erstwhile precocious schoolhouse shot stars were selected aboriginal Sunday erstwhile Faith Lutheran grad and Oklahoma RHP LJ Mercurius was selected with the No. 148 wide prime successful the 5th circular by the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Detroit Tigers successful the seventh circular (No. 216 overall) picked Green Valley High postgraduate and Kansas archetypal baseman Brady Ballinger.
In Round 15, the Boston Red Sox selected Grand Canyon LHP Chase Frey, who graduated from Sierra Vista and played astatine the College of Southern Nevada. The Athletics selected erstwhile Bishop Gorman and CSN catcher Anthony Marnell IV (San Diego State) with the 591st wide prime successful the past round.
UNLV had 5 players drafted successful the aboriginal rounds connected Sunday: RHP Carson Lane (Cleveland Guardians, Round 14, No. 423 overall), RHP Jase Evangelista (Boston Celtics, Round 14 No. 424), RHP Ryan Marton (Chicago Cubs, Round 17 No. 517), LHP Parker Dillhoff (Cleveland Guardians, Round 18 No. 5430) and OF Jack Salmon (Los Angeles Angels, Round 19, No. 559).
Mercurius, listed astatine 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, is caller disconnected of helping Oklahoma triumph the College World Series alongside younger member Xander. LJ Mercurius graduated from Faith Lutheran successful 2023 and played 2 years astatine UNLV (2024-25) earlier transfering to Oklahoma this spring.
Mercurius went 7-7 with a 4.43 ERA and 103 strikeouts successful 83.1 innings pitched for the Sooners and recorded 4 saves successful the postseason to assistance them to the title.
Ballinger, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound archetypal baseman, had a breakout play this outpouring successful his lone play with Kansas. The 2023 Green Valley postgraduate deed .283 with 7 location runs and 45 RBIs to assistance the Jayhawks spell 45–18 and their second-ever NCAA regional. Ballinger played 2 years astatine CSN (2024-25) and helped the Coyotes scope the inferior assemblage satellite bid successful 2024.
Frey, a 6-foot-6, 225-pound near hander, graduated from Sierra Vista successful 2023 and played his 2nd twelvemonth of assemblage astatine CSN successful 2025. At Grand Canyon, Frey was an All-Mountain West second-team selection, going 2-7 with a 4.79 ERA and 69 strikeouts successful 67.2 innings transportation portion holding opponents to a .227 batting average.
Marnell, listed astatine 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, deed .257 with 30 RBIs for the Aztecs this spring. Marnell graduated from Bishop Gorman successful 2023. He did not play with astatine Oregon State arsenic a freshman, but started 50 of 53 games for CSN successful 2025.
Lane was a three-year starting pitcher for UNLV. The 6-foot-3 right-hander was a 2025 first-team All-Mountain West selection, and went 9-10 with a 6.34 ERA and 179 strikeouts successful 181.1 vocation innings and 44 appearances for the Rebels.
Evangelista, Marton, Dillhoff and Salmon were each one-year members with UNLV, playing this outpouring with the Rebels.
On Saturday, Basic High postgraduate Andruw Giles was selected successful the 4th circular (No. 108 overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 6-foot, 195-pound outfielder was committed to play assemblage shot astatine Oregon. Giles was the lone section taken successful the archetypal 4 rounds.
Contact Alex Wright astatine awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 connected X.
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