Mat-Su pitcher, 17 former Miners taken in MLB draft

PALMER — As Major League Baseball worked through the final rounds of its annual first-year player draft, a Mat-Su Miner heard his named called.

Mat-Su lefthander Andrew Nardi was selected in the 39th round by the New York Yankees Wednesday afternoon. Nardi now has options. He can sign with the Yankees or maintain his amateur status with the Miners, and return to college for his sophomore season. Mat-Su head coach Ben Taylor lauded Nardi’s abilities, and has high hopes for the southpaw’s potential with the Miners this summer. Taylor said he sees Nardi as a, “main part of our rotation this summer.”

“He’s got plus command, his change up is plus-plus,” Taylor said of Nardi’s skill set on the mound. “He’s got a big-time pitcher’s body. Incredibly fast arm.”

Nardi is off to a 2-0 start this summer with a 2.77 earned run average and nine strikeouts in 13 innings of work.

Nardi recently completed his freshman season at Ventura Community College in Ventura, California. Nardi led his team with a 1.17 ERA. He made 14 appearances, fanned 38 hitters in 30 2/3 innings and recorded a save. Taylor called Nardi one of the top junior college lefthanders in California.

Nardi is one of 18 players selected during the three-day MLB First-Year Player Draft with a link to the Miners. Seventeen former Miners were also taken in the 40-round draft. Taylor said he’s proud of the number of former Miners taken in the draft, and seeing that many drafted players with ties to the Miners certainly helps recruiting.

“It makes things easier for Pete and I,” Taylor said of longtime Miners general manager Pete Christopher. “Schools know players will be well taken care of in a fantastic organization and great town. If they send a ball player here, he’s going to develop.”

Texes A&M right-hander Corbin Martin was the first former Miner taken, selected by Houston with the 56th pick in the second round. Martin enjoyed a perfect summer on the mound for the Miners in 2015. He didn’t allow an earned run with the Miners, and logged a 0.00 ERA in 16 appearances. He also fanned 27 hitters in 21 2/3 innings.

As a junior, Martin has helped the Aggies advance to the College World Series. He is 7-3 with a 3.35 ERA. Martin has made 23 appearances and a dozen starts. He has 94 strikeouts in 86 innings of work.

Martin made the start in the 12-6 win over Davidson in the NCAA Super Regional that punched the Aggies’ World Series ticket. Martin allowed eight hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings, while striking out seven and only walking one.

It’s the third straight year a former Miners player was selected in the first two rounds. Last season, Nick Senzel, a University of Tennessee infielder who played for the Miners in 2014, was taken No. 2 overall by the Cincinnati Reds.

Martin is one of eight former Miners to be selected in the top 10 rounds of the draft. Another Texas A&M right-hander, Brigham Hill, was taken by Washington in the fifth round. Martin and Hill were teammates with the Miners in 2015, and Hill finished the summer 2-3 with 40 strikeouts and a 1.84 ERA in 39 innings.

This season, Hill is leading the Aggies with an 8-3 record. Hill also has a team-best 107 strikeouts for a squad head to the College World Series.

Tennessee senior Jordan Rodgers, an infielder for the Miners in 2014, was taken by Atlanta in the sixth round. Rodgers hit .265 with Mat-Su, and finished with 26 hits and 14 RBI. Rodgers led the Vols during the 2017 college season, batting .322. He also led the team with 66 hits, nine home runs and 35 RBI.

Another right-hander from the 2015 Miners team, Gonzaga junior Eli Morgan, was picked by Cleveland in the eighth round. Morgan, a second-team All-American in 2017, led Gonzaga with a 10-2 record, 2.86 ERA and 138 strikeouts.

With the Miners, Morgan was 5-0 with 47 strikeouts and a 0.84 ERA in 42 2/3 innings.

Philadelphia grabbed New Mexico infielder Jack Zoellner, who played with the Miners in 2015. Zoellner was second on his team in hitting during the college season with a .368 batting average. He also had 12 home runs and 56 RBI.

Mat-Su’s batting average leader in 2015 was also taken in the ninth round. Pomona-Pitzer College’s Tanner Nishioka was taken by Boston. Nishioka hit .364 to lead the Miners.

Former Miners went back-to-back in the 10th. Kansas State junior Jordan Floyd, Mat-Su’s closer last season, was picked by Kansas City with the 300th overall selection. Former Tennessee right-hander Kyle Serrano was taken by Houston with the next pick. Serrano pitched for the Miners in 2014.

In addition to Nardi, nine former Miners were taken on the third day of the draft.

Tennessee right-hander Zach Warren, a member of the 2015 Miners, was picked by the Phillies in the 14th round.

Grand Canyon outfielder Garrison Schwartz, taken by Atlanta in the 16th round, was one of six players selected Wednesday from the 2016 Miners team that won the ABL title. Also taken from that team were: Kansas State infielder Jake Scudder (16th round by Washington), North Carolina State catcher Andy Cosgrove (17th round by Minnesota), St. Johns outfielder Mike Donadio (30th round by Miami), Arizona State pitcher Connor Higgins (35th round by Texas) and Kansas State catcher Josh Rolette (39th round by Cleveland).

Pacific pitcher Vince Arobio (24th by the Chicago White Sox) and UNC-Wilmington infielder Terrance Connelly (40th round by Arizona) played for the Miners in 2013.

Fourteen players with ties to the Miners were selected in the draft last year.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.