Twelve Gulls Selected in 2021 MLB Draft
July 16, 2021 - New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL)
Newport Gulls News Release
NEWPORT, R.I. - Three current and nine former Newport Gulls were selected in the 2021 MLB first-year player draft. Newport's Jimmy Kingsbury, Jack Aldrich, and Justin Guerrera, and alumni Russell Smith, Tyler Mattison, Micahel Kirian, Justyn-Henry Malloy, Jordan Marks, Liam McGill, Colton Bender, Tim Tawa, and Jayson Gonzalez were among the 612 amateur ballplayers drafted in 20 rounds. Tuesday marked the last day of the draft, showcasing rounds 11 through 20.
Current Gulls:
Kingsbury was the first current Gull off the board, selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 17th round at pick 504 overall. The Villanova product was the first active Newport player to be drafted since 2019, with the 2020 NECBL season being canceled due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.
Kingsbury continues to follow in the footsteps of his father Larry who was also an MLB draft selection during his tenure as a Wildcat. The elder Kinsbury was selected in both the 1991 and 1992 drafts by the Oakland Athletics in 22nd and 33rd rounds respectively.
In a phone interview with Marc Narducci of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Kingsbury described the significance of taking after his father, saying "it is a blessing to say I pitched [at Villanova] and now to say I have been drafted, it is an unbelievable feeling".
Kingsbury has quietly put together a solid season as a member of Newport's rotation. The righty has a 4-0 record in five starts with a 4.07 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 24.1 innings overall. In four college seasons at Villanova, Kingsbury has a 4.68 ERA in 238.2 innings with 12 wins and five saves.
Aldrich was next to have his name called, picked at 589 overall in the 20th round by the Kansas City Royals. The Tulane southpaw is one of five members of the Green Wave selected in the draft. Aldrich has arguably been the ace of Tulane's rotation in his two seasons with the program, going 7-3 with a 3.35 ERA in 102 innings and whiffing 117 batters over that span.
Aldrich has also been a key part of the Gulls rotation since his late arrival to the club. The southpaw has given up just two runs in three starts with Newport, resulting in an impressive 1.93 ERA. Aldrich has 15 strikeouts to just four walks this summer (3.75 K/BB ratio).
Just three selections after Aldrich, the New York Mets snagged Guerrera at pick 592 in the 20th round. Guerrera joins Stags teammate Trey Mcloughlin on the list of players drafted out of Fairfield, with the latter also selected by New York. The selection would appear to be a steal for the Mets, as the middle-infielder has torn the cover off the ball all year.
At Fairfield this spring, Guerrera led the 39-5 Stags with a 1.094 OPS bolstered by a team-leading 28 extra-base hits including 13 home runs. In his three years with the program, the slugger has blasted 20 longballs and posted a slash line of .297/.350/.511 in 497 plate appearances.
The power surge has continued with Newport, as Guerrera leads the NECBL in home runs (nine) and runs batted in (26). Elected as the starting second baseman for the Southern Division in the NECBL All-Star game, the infielder has the second-best SLG (.737) and OPS (1.148) in the entire league.
Only time will tell what the future holds for the Newport draftees. In a post on Guerrera's Instagram story, the infielder tagged Mcloughlin saying "See you soon" potentially signaling his intention to sign with the Mets. Kingsbury stated in his interview with Narducci that he intends to sign with the Mariners organization, having already completed his degree in communication at Villanova.
Former Gulls:
Smith was the first former Gull selected, as the Milwaukee Brewers drafted the southpaw with the 51st overall pick in the second round. The towering TCU product struck out 144 batters in 121.2 innings with Horned Frogs with a 3.62 ERA in his collegiate career. Smith amassed 45 punchouts across 39 frames as a member of Newport's rotation in 2018.
Mattison was the next alumnus off the board at pick 104 overall in the fourth round to the Detroit Tigers. The 2018 Gull excelled in his career at Bryant with a 24-9 record and 3.52 ERA in 232.2 innings.
The Washington Nationals drafted Kirian in the sixth round with the 173rd pick. The third draftee from the 2018 Newport pitching staff, the Louisville Cardinal sat 144 batters down via strikeouts in his 119 collegiate innings.
Malloy was plucked by the Atlanta Braves in the 6th round at pick 187. The Georgia Tech product showcased elite plate discipline during his tenure with Newport in 2019, walking 37 times in 33 games with a .523 OBP.
At pick 225 in the eighth round, Marks was off the board, selected by the Tigers. Following his tenure with the Gulls in 2019, the hurler went 13-3 with a 2.38 ERA in 121.1 innings at USC Upstate.
McGill was the fourth Newport alumnus drafted, chosen by the Braves in the ninth round at pick 277. The 2017 Gull raked with Bryant Bulldogs this spring, wrapping up the season with an absurd .471 average and 1.287 OPS in 172 plate appearances.
The San Diego Padres selected Bender at pick 310 in the tenth round. The Quinnipiac catcher/outfielder spent most of his time behind the plate with Newport in 2019, accumulating an impressive .886 OPS in 28 games.
Tawa was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 11th round at pick 318. The Stanford product turned heads during his time in Newport, batting .336 with a 1.026 OPS in 31 games in 2018.
The final former-Gull drafted was Gonzalez, selected 515th overall in round 17 by the Chicago White Sox. The Vanderbilt infielder played 21 games with Newport in 2018, blasting five round-trippers.
The 12 current and former Gulls selected in the 2021 MLB draft join an extensive list of Newport alumni rewarded for years of hard work and dedication with an opportunity to pursue their dreams of being professional ballplayers.
Full list of Gulls Draftees:
http://newportgulls.pointstreaksites.com/view/newportgulls/the-major-league-stars-of-tomorrow/g ulls-gone-pro-3/newport-gulls-drafted-2013-present-2
Full story on Kingsbury:
https://www.inquirer.com/phillies/villanova-jimmy-kingsbury-seattle-mariners-mlb-first-year-playe r-draft-20210713.html
For more information about the Newport Gulls, visit facebook.com/newportgulls, follow the Gulls on Twitter @NewportGulls or visit www.newportgulls.com.
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