The Major League Baseball Draft, held earlier this week, included a record-setting 52 players who spent time in the MLB Draft League. Of those, 36 of the selected players participated in the first half of the 2024 Draft League season.

Among the drafted were nine former Scrappers. They include; RHP Peyton Olejnik (6th round, Angels), OF Joel Dragoo (7th, Phillies), 3B Jared Sprague-Lott (9th, Athletics), RHP Zachary Cawyer (11th, Royals), C Coen Niclai (15th, Marlins), RHP Andrew Moronos (16th, Royals), RHP Jacob Remily (16th, Guardians), RHP Hunter Dryden (17th, Giants), RHP Frank Elissalt (19th, Mets).

In both 2022 and 2023, the Scrappers saw eight of their former players selected in the draft.

Sprague-Lott played for the Scrappers last summer, while Elissalt was with the club in 2022. The other seven draftees played with the Scrappers during the first-half of the current season.

Olejnik is a Cedar Lake (IN) native who recently completed his junior season at Miami (OH). With the Scrappers he started five games while logging 21.2 innings of work. Olejnik posted an ERA of 2.08 while recording 32 strikeouts.

“It’s kind of a dream-to-reality moment for me,” Olejnik said of hearing his name called in the draft. “I’ve been dreaming of this ever since I was a little kid. I’m still taking it all in because it doesn’t feel real. I’m at a loss for words.”

With one remaining year of amateur athletic eligibility, Olejnik now must decide whether he will sign with the Angels or return to the college ranks. Olejnik transferred to Miami (OH) after spending the 2023 season at Oklahoma, where he pitched in just 3.2 innings. This past spring with the Red Hawks, he posted a 9-1 record.

“The coaches at Miami (OH) gave me a chance even though I didn’t yet have the opportunity to prove myself at the college level,” Olejnik said. “I learned from my past experiences and put together a nice season this past spring. There will be discussions with my family and agent, but right now I’m just taking it all in.”

Morones worked in 12 games (14 innings) this summer for the Scrappers without allowing a run. The reliever recorded four saves. He gave up just eight hits with 22 strikeouts.

Cawyer also posted an 0.00 ERA while with the Scrappers. He worked 13.1 innings in relief while appearing in nine games.

Dryden (2-2, 3.00 ERA) worked 30 innings and started six games, both high water marks for any Scrappers pitcher during the first half of the season.

Nicklai was the youngest player on the Scrappers’ opening day roster. Just days before joining the Scrappers, he was named the Alaska Gatorade High School Player of the Year for a second straight season. His time in the Mahoning Valley was short-lived. After appearing in just seven games (.360 BA, 7 RBI), he spent the rest of June at the Draft Combine in Arizona.

Overall, the Draft League has had 185 players picked in the MLB Draft since the league’s inception in 2021.

STARTING OVER

The second half the Draft League season began Thursday night with all six teams in the league fielding revamped rosters. For the remainder of the season, the league consists of players who have exhausted their amateur eligibility. Players receive housing, meal money, travel and weekly compensation.

The Scrappers’ roster as of Thursday included just one player (Joe Glassey) who was with the team during the first half of the season. Glassey, who also pitched for the Scrappers in the first half of the 2023 season, recently completed his college career at the University of Illinois.

The Scrappers’ roster includes a pair of players from the Korean Baseball Organization. Sungkyung Kim (RHP) and Changyong Lee (INF) both previously played for the Samsung Lions of the KBO.

“We are excited for our partnership with the KBO,” MLB Draft League President Sean Campbell said. “We look forward to watching their players compete and develop in the MLB Draft League. This first of its kind partnership will help the KBO players gain valuable experience as they move forward in their careers.”

Kim, a rookie out of college, is a right-handed reliever who throws 93 mph on average. Kim appeared in 19 games this past season with the Lions and posted an ERA of 2.97.

Lee appeared in 42 games, leading the league with 10 home runs while batting .331. He also knocked in 32 runs.

The Scrappers’ roster also includes a pair of Ohio natives. Pitcher Austin Mora hails from Cleveland and played for Notre Dame College after graduating from Mentor Lake Catholic High School. Infielder Drew Holderbach (Fairfield, OH) recently completed his college career at Appalachian State.

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