Harbor Hawks flying to the next level: 21 former players drafted in 2023 MLB Draft
By: Jason Boué & Blake Buscemi
The MLB Draft has come and gone, but the three-day affair did not pass without welcoming a number of familiar faces into professional baseball. Twenty-one former Harbor Hawks were drafted, so let’s see where they all ended up.
Nolan Schanuel, Florida Atlantic (2022) - 11th Overall, Los Angeles Angels
Making his way up the East Coast from FAU to Cape Cod, Schanuel was a regular for the Harbor Hawks in 2022. He appeared in 36 regular season games and all five of Hyannis’ postseason contests. In the regular season, Schanuel only batted .200 with a .614 OPS and one home run. The brighter lights of the playoffs must’ve activated Schanuel, because he cranked out five hits over 17 at-bats, two of which were home runs.
After a solid end to his season on the Cape, Schanuel returned to Florida Atlantic for his junior year, where he absolutely raked, compiling a laundry list of impressive achievements along the way. Schanuel batted a nearly unfathomable .447 (second-best in all of D1, just two points behind first), pairing it with a .615 on-base percentage (first in D1) and an .868 slugging percentage (second in D1). He also sent 19 balls over the fence, but that number feels small in comparison to his 71 walks (tied for first in D1). Unsurprisingly, these numbers earned him Conference USA Player of the Year, as well as First Team All-American honors from five different outlets. Schanuel entered the Draft as MLB’s #26 Overall Prospect, but the Angels weren’t going to miss their opportunity to get their guy.
Mitch Jebb, Michigan State (2022) - 42nd Overall, Pittsburgh Pirates
Team MVP might be the only phrase apt enough to describe Jebb during his time in Hyannis. The shortstop was the cornerstone of the Harbor Hawks offense, batting a whopping .356, the second-best average in the league. He only had two homers, but he still knocked in 22 runs, which tied for second as well. Jebb also did work on the basepaths with 26 stolen bases, second only to teammate Rikuu Nishida, who, spoiler alert, we’ll get to later. Thanks to his performance, Jebb finished second in League MVP voting to Matt Shaw, and sentiment around Hyannis remains that he was robbed. His production dipped in the playoffs, with only four hits in 21 at-bats, but he still managed 3 RBIs.
Back at Michigan State, Jebb continued to tally impressive numbers. After missing five games at the start of the season, the junior started 50 games at short. In that span, he batted .337 (12th best in Big Ten) with an OPS of .933. He also used his speed to earn seven triples, fourth most in D1. His performance placed him on the All-B1G Third Team, as well as the #46 spot in MLB’s prospect rankings.
Ben WIlliamson, William & Mary (2023) - 57th Overall, Seattle Mariners
Williamson was only a Harbor Hawk for a brief stint, nine games to be exact, but his time in Hyannis was memorable nevertheless. A natural infielder, Williamson took on the challenge of manning the outfield while Hyannis was waiting on reinforcements, a task he hadn’t encountered since Little League. The lack of experience didn’t matter, however. SportsCenter could have had a Ben Williamson-edition of the Top 10 with how many acrobatic catches he made. Williamson was equally impressive at the plate, batting .394 with four doubles and five RBIs. He also earned the season’s first CCBL Player of the Week award, and something tells me that, had he been here for longer, he might have gotten a few more of those.
During his time at William & Mary, Williamson filled out a resume that will likely cement him as a program legend. His .391/.512/.667 slash line, complete with 12 home runs and 49 RBIs, won him 2023 CAA Player of the Year. He was also named to the All-CAA First Team for the third year in a row, making him the first player in program history to achieve such a feat. Williamson finished his four years at William & Mary with a career batting average of .327, which, according to the William & Mary record books, is 22nd highest in program history.
Jackson Baumeister, Florida State (2022) - 63rd Overall, Baltimore Orioles
Baumeister was the first former Harbor Hawks pitcher taken, and in six starts in Hyannis, the tall righty accumulated a 4.28 ERA with 30 strikeouts and only 10 walks. His best start came against Falmouth, when he fanned seven over four no-hit innings. He ended his tenure as a Harbor Hawk with an 0-1 record, but on the Cape, decisions aren’t everything. Baumeister went at least four innings in five of his six starts, and Hyannis came out on top in four of his six starts.
When he returned to Tallahassee, Baumeister slotted into the weekend rotation, where he continued to make long starts while racking up Ks. He finished the season with a 5-5 record and a 5.09 ERA, but he recorded 95 strikeouts over his 69.0 innings pitched. His best start came against Clemson, when he struck out 14 Tigers over 7.0 innings without allowing a run. His performances this season lead to him being named to the All-ACC Third Team and a ranking as MLB’s #167 overall prospect.
Alejandro Rosario, Miami (2022) - 144th Overall, Texas Rangers
Rosario made only three appearances in Hyannis, but in those three, he was shut down. Over 10.1 innings pitched, Rosario allowed two runs for an ERA of 1.74, but his command was where he really shined. He struck out 13 while allowing only one walk over the course of his time as a Harbor Hawk. Rosario earned one win against Wareham, when he went 5.0 innings, allowing one run and four hits, striking out six.
As a junior at Miami, Rosario pitched 68.2 innings, going 4-6 with a 7.34 ERA. He continued to generate strikeouts though, with 85 strikeouts and an 11.2 K/9. His control slipped some, with 39 walks. He stood out against Presbyterian, when he went 6.0 innings, allowing only three hits and no walks while striking out 12. Despite some rougher on-paper numbers, Rosario was still the #212 overall prospect per MLB.
Jake Cunningham, UNC Charlotte (2021) - 154th Overall, Baltimore Orioles
It’s been a while since Cunningham was in Hyannis, but he’s still a former Harbor Hawk nevertheless. The outfielder appeared in four games, batting .235 with one RBI.
In the two seasons since his time in Hyannis, Cunningham has impressed at Charlotte. In 2022, he batted .304 with 16 home runs, 52 RBIs and an OPS just north of 1.000. He also showed off his speed, nabbing 16 bags. He regressed some in 2023 following an injury, but he still batted .267 with 11 homers and 41 RBIs. He was also extremely impressive in the field, with only five errors over his entire collegiate career for a .982 fielding percentage. Cunningham’s well-rounded skill set placed him 147th on MLB’s prospect list.
Connor O’Halloran, Michigan (2022) - 164th Overall, Toronto Blue Jays
The southpaw out of Michigan made seven appearances as a Harbor Hawk, all of which were in relief. He finished 1-0 with a 7.81 ERA and 17 strikeouts to nine walks, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. In five of his appearances, he went at least one inning, allowing only three runs in those appearances. In two of his appearances, however, he struggled, allowing five runs and four walks in 0.1 innings against Bourne in one and allowing three runs in 0.2 innings against Yarmouth-Dennis.
He learned from his time on the Cape, taking his newfound knowledge back to Ann Arbor where he was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. O’Halloran went 8-6 in 17 appearances (15 starts), striking out 110 while only walking 26. In his 103 innings pitched, he accumulated a 4.11 ERA. Unsurprisingly, in addition to being Pitcher of the Year, O’Halloran was named to the All-B1G First Team. He was taken 164th by the Blue Jays, which aligned perfectly with his ranking on the MLB prospect lists. Heading to the Blue Jays will also be a homecoming of sorts for O’Halloran, who is from Mississauga, Ont. which is just outside of Toronto.
Hunter Furtado, Alabama (2021) - 167th Overall, Pittsburgh Pirates
Furtado made eight appearances and four starts for the Harbor Hawks in 2021, going 0-4 with a 7.76 ERA. Over his 26.2 innings pitched, he struck out 21 batters and walked eight. The 2021 season was not Furtado’s only one on the Cape. He returned in 2022, this time with the Bourne Braves.
In his two seasons at Alabama after Hyannis, Furtado improved year over year. In 2022, the reliever went 3-2 with a 6.75 ERA and 33 strikeouts. He was even better in 2023, with a 1-1 record, a 4.75 ERA and 38 strikeouts. His one win in 2023 came under the bright lights of the SEC Tournament. The usual bullpen arm made the start and delivered, throwing 5.0 innings of scoreless baseball. His talents landed him at #192 in MLB’s overall prospect list.
Dominic Pitelli, Miami (2022) - 198th Overall, Cincinnati Reds
Pitelli was with the Harbor Hawks for nearly the entire 2022 season, and he made his presence known. His regular season performance of .252/.326/.370 earned him an All-Star nod. The infielder had nine multihit games as well to go along with three home runs and 13 RBIs.
He improved upon a solid summer season when he returned to Miami, slashing .294/.380/.525 with 13 long balls and 54 RBIs. In the field at shortstop, Pitelli improved upon his previous seasons with a career-best .965 fielding percentage and a career low eight errors.
Seth Halvorsen, Tennessee (2021) - 202nd Overall, Colorado Rockies
Halvorsen hasn’t played for the Hawks in two years, but he has shown improvements to his game since his time here. He has had a difficult time in college baseball, not starting as a freshman in 2019, going through the COVID year in 2020, and experiencing control issues in 2021. He posted a 12.27 ERA in 7.1 innings for Hyannis in 2021, which was obviously not his best stuff. He then missed all of 2022 with an elbow injury, leading many to think his career could be over.
However, he transferred to Tennessee for the 2023 season, which ended up being a great decision for him. He posted a 3.81 ERA over 52 innings with 52 strikeouts and significantly increased strike rates. The Rockies liked his stuff enough to take him in the seventh round and sign him for $200K, slightly under slot value of $263.2K. Halvorsen could move fairly quickly through the system given that he is already 23 years old.
Caden Rose, Alabama (2021) - 208th Overall, Boston Red Sox
Rose was a member of the 2021 Harbor Hawks for about half of their season, ending his 27-game stint with a .191/.327/.247 slash line.
In his following two seasons at Alabama, he significantly improved. In 2022, he batted .326 with an .875 OPS. His 2023 season was partially derailed by injury, but he was able to increase his power, slugging .503 with nine home runs. He also showed off his sure-handedness in the field, making only two errors in his career and none in 2023.
Austin Strickland, Kentucky (2022) - 227th Overall, Pittsburgh Pirates
Strickland was a crucial part of the Hawks’ success in 2022. He struck out 31 hitters and only walked nine over 26.2 innings with a 4.05 ERA. He primarily pitched out of the bullpen, but made a few starts when needed. He followed this up with a decent year at Kentucky, but it’s the stuff that the Pirates are buying rather than results.
He has an electric arm, consistently sitting around 93-95 MPH with his fastball. He pairs that with a couple of breaking balls, one a slider and one a curveball. The slider is what will likely carry him up the professional ranks, as he gets great chase rates on the pitch. He signed for just under slot at $197.5K as opposed to the allotted slot value of $216.9K.
Jay Driver, Harvard (2022, 2023) - 278th Overall, Cleveland Guardians
Driver is one of the few Hawks who pitched for the team in both 2022 and 2023. The Harvard righty threw well for Hyannis in 2022, posting a 4.56 ERA with a staggering 39-9 K-BB ratio over 23 innings. He followed that up with an even better showing in 2023, throwing 9 shutout innings in an abbreviated sample with a 12-4 K-BB.
Driver throws from an unconventional slot, releasing the ball at a low ¾ slot, making it difficult for hitters to pick up. He generally sits in the low-90s with his fastball. His slider is his best pitch, as he can throw it both for strikes and as a chase pitch. The Guardians are a great organization for the #241 prospect to join given their history of developing pitchers with similar profiles.
Magdiel Cotto, Kentucky (2022) - 317th Overall, Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates must’ve had plenty of scouts at McKeon Park over the past few seasons, as Cotto was the fourth former Hawk that Pittsburgh drafted. He was one of Hyannis’ best arms in 2022, recording a 2.67 ERA over 27 innings with a 29-12 K-BB.
Cotto throws incredibly hard, but his fastball is flat. He struggled to miss bats at Kentucky this year the same way he did in Hyannis. He has a ton of natural arm talent, so the Pirates will likely try and alter his pitches and/or pitch shapes in order to optimize it.
Ty Langenberg, Iowa (2022) - 327th Overall, Minnesota Twins
Like Cotto, Langenberg was incredibly valuable for Hyannis in 2022. The Iowa righty posted a 3.38 ERA with an incredible 33-4 K-BB ratio over 21.1 innings.
What makes him valuable is his combination of control and stuff. His fastball sits in the low-90s to pair with a plus changeup and decent slider. He should be developed as a starter, but has reliever risk due to his high-effort delivery. Nonetheless, Ty is a good value pick in the 11th round.
Rikuu Nishida, Oregon (2022) - 329th Overall, Chicago White Sox
The only Japanese-born player drafted this year, Nishida quickly became a fan favorite in Hyannis last year, in part due to his infectious personality, and in part due to his impressive play. The Oregon.product batted .291 over 43 regular season games, nabbing 28 bags in the process. The speedster was named an All-Star for his performance, and he kept it up in the playoffs. Nishida totaled nine hits over five playoff games, with three RBIs to boot. Following the season’s conclusion, Nishida was awarded the Manny Robello 10th Player Award, which “is given to a player that exceeds expectations on the field as a teammate and displays exemplary citizenship off the field in the community.”
His production was similar this past season at Oregon, setting multiple records while batting .312 with a .837 OPS over 63 games.To no one in Hyannis’ surprise, he broke a 58-year-old stolen base record, totaling 25. Nishida also scored the most runs in a single season for a Duck, crossing the plate 67 times. His performance was rewarded with an All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention, as well as Most Valuable Player and All-Tournament Team honors at the Nashville Regional.
Simon Miller, UTSA (2023) - 348th Overall, Cincinnati Reds
Miller was great in his short time in Hyannis pre-draft. He posted a 2.70 ERA in 10 innings with a 17-4 K-BB ratio. He was coming off a college season at Texas-San Antonio where he posted similarly impressive results in a larger sample, so we knew this is what he was capable of.
He is primarily a two-pitch pitcher, featuring a fastball and slider. Though the fastball is fairly flat, the slider has almost perfect gyro spin and plays well off of the fastball. Having only two pitches likely makes him a reliever at the next level, but he could move quickly through the system given his age and profile.
Luke Mann, Missouri (2021) - 406th Overall, Oakland Athletics
Mann is another member of the 2021 team who has had significant time to develop since his time here. He slashed .269/.365/.454 with 5 HR and 27 RBIs with Hyannis, but has taken massive steps forward since then. He crushed 17 homers in 2022 followed by 21 in 2023 at Missouri, proving that he is a legitimate power threat.
He already signed for $50K, which is significantly under the slot value of $150K for rounds 11-20. He is already 23 with some swing and miss concerns, which hindered him from being a Day 2 pick. Mann could surprise some people when he gets to pro ball given his proven in-game power.
Mitch Farris, Wingate (2023) - 429th Overall, Atlanta Braves
Hailing from WIngate, Farris was one of the best pitchers in college baseball in 2023, posting a 1.21 ERA over 89 innings with a 127-16 K-BB ratio. While that success did not carry over to Hyannis against better competition, it cannot be ignored nonetheless.
Farris relies on pitchability to get outs. He sits in the mid-upper 80s with his fastball, which will not overpower any hitters at the professional level. He has fairly good offspeed stuff as well, which will carry his profile long-term. His ceiling is as a back of the rotation starter, but he will have to maintain his elite control at the next level in order to reach that.
Austin Amaral, Stetson (2022) - 465th Overall, Washington Nationals
Amaral struggled in his showing in Hyannis last summer, allowing 15 earned runs in 20 innings while not missing many bats. However, he took a massive step forward at Stetson this past spring, posting a 3.30 ERA over 76.1 innings with more strikeouts than innings pitched.
He releases the ball from a completely over-the-top delivery, giving him good induced vertical break on his fastball. Like Langenberg, he should be given the chance to start professionally, but might end up a reliever due to his high-effort delivery. Amaral is still only 21 years old and has plenty of development time left.
Mike Rodriguez, North Greenville (2023) - 540th Overall, San Francisco Giants
Rodriguez was lights out for Hyannis is his pre-draft showing. He only allowed one run in 7.1 innings to pair with ten strikeouts and four walks. He was a high-leverage reliever for us, recording two saves in the process.
Rodriguez only signed for $50K due to lack of leverage as a 23 year old, but that doesn’t take away from his great stuff. His low-mid 90s fastball and wipeout slider are good enough to play well in pro ball right now. He could move fairly quickly through the Giants’ system.
Two former Harbor Hawks also signed undrafted free agent deals. Drew Eharhard (Tampa) who played for Hyannis in 2022 and is older brother of current Hawk Zach and a 2023 coach, signed a deal with the Red Sox, and catcher Caleb Pendleton (Florida Atlantic), who was with the Harbor Hawks in 2021, signed a free agent deal with the Angels. Ehrhard batted .356 with two home runs and seven RBIs in 12 games as a Harbor Hawk, while Pendleton hit .222 over 14 games in Hyannis, with two home runs and eight RBIs.
Additionally, as an honorable mention of sorts, one of manager Eric Beattie’s high school players was drafted on Day 1. Arjun Nimmala, out of Strawberry Crest High School, went 20th overall to the Toronto Blue Jay. An impressive accomplishment to be sure, but it’s a shame we’ll never get to see him in the Harbor Hawks orange and blue.
Overall, according to the official CCBL Twitter account, the MLB Draft saw 218 former leaguers drafted, good for 35.5% of the total draftees. This year’s Draft also saw a Cape Leaguer go first overall for the fifth time in the last six years, pointing to the impressive talent that the CCBL churns out year in and year out.
