BOSTON, Mass. – The America East had three players selected in this week’s Major League Baseball draft, including its highest selection since 2018.
Maine's Quinn McDaniel headlined the trio by being selected in the fifth round and the 153rd pick overall. Bryant had a pair of pitchers selected in Coleman Picard and Brett Wichrowski. Picard was taken in the 6th round by the Kansas City Royals and was the 169th pick overall, while Wichrowski was taken in the 13th round by the Milwaukee Brewers as the 392nd selection.
McDaniel is the America East’s highest drafted player since Jeremy Pena of Maine was taken 102nd overall back in 2018. Pena is currently the starting shortstop for the Houston Astros.
McDaniel, a native of Eliot, Maine, earned First-Team All-Conference honors this past year for the Black Bears. He posted a line of .352/.435/.579 with 16 home runs, 14 doubles and an America East record 60 walks. McDaniel also helped the Black Bears claim their first conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011. During his three seasons he had a line of .319/.434/.577 across his 143 games for the Black Bears with 32 home runs, 34 double and 56 steals.
Picard was the 9th Bulldog taken in the top 10 rounds and the 11th to be chosen as a junior, while Wichrowski was the 24th Bryant player selected in the draft since the program transitioned to Division I prior to the 2009 season.
A native of Auburn, Mass., Picard developed into one of the region's top pitchers in two years at Bryant. This past spring, Picard shifted into the Friday starting role and shined, going 2-2 with 3.43 ERA and 59 strikeouts in just 42.0 innings. He opened the year with 5.0 innings of one-run ball at High Point before turning heads with a 12-strikeout performance at No. 14 Virginia Tech. After missing five starts, he returned to allow just one unearned run over four-straight starts.
A native of Williamstown, N.J., Wichrowski developed into one of the most explosive right-handers in New England during his three years at Bryant. He appeared in 32 games, making 15 starts and finishing his career with a 7-5 overall record and 109 strikeouts in 92.2 innings. In 2023 Wichrowski was impressive, striking out 64 and allowing just 49 hits in 50.0 innings. The righty was named to the America East Second Team, allowing three earned runs or less in 11 of his 14 outings. Wichrowski had his best start of the year vs UMBC, striking out a career-high nine over 5.0 scoreless innings.
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