4 PGAAs taken in Draft's top-8

Photo: Jonathan India (Perfect Game)

Tigers tale: Mize goes at No. 1 | 2018 MLB Draft Preview Content

Alumni of the Perfect Game All-American Classic were once again front-and-center during the first round of Monday’s MLB June Amateur Draft, with four former PGAA’s being selected among the first eight picks.

Florida third baseman Jonathan India, who played in the 2014 PGAAC in San Diego, was the first to hear his name called, going to the Cincinnati Reds with the No. 5 overall pick. India, from Coral Springs, Fla., helped lead the Gators to the 2017 NCAA Division I National Championship, and they’re back in a Super Regional this weekend; the Milwaukee Brewers had previously selected India in the 26th round of the 2015 MLB Draft.

Outfielder Jarred Kelenic from Waukesha, Wis., became the first 2017 PGAA to be selected when the N.Y. Mets scooped-up  the talented five-tool prospect with the No.  6 overall pick. Kelenic, the No. 4-ranked 2018 national prospect, is a Louisville signee.

There was little wait required to find out who the next two 2017 PGAAs to be selected would be, with Loretto (Tenn.) High School left-hander Ryan Weathers going to the San Diego Padres and Eau Gallie High School (Fla.) right-hander Carter Stewart getting snagged by the Braves at No. 8.

PG ranked Weathers, a Vanderbilt signee, as the No. 7 overall prospect in the class of 2018. Stewart, who has signed with Mississippi State, is ranked No. 8 overall in the 2018 class.

All four of these prospects also attended the PG National Showcase during the same summer they played at the PG All-American Classic. This year's PG National - featuring most of the potential 2018 PG All-Americans and potential 2019 MLB Draft first-round picks - will be held June 14-17 at the Tampa Bay Rays' Tropicana Field June 14-17.

Those four selections brought the number of PG All-Americans taken in the first round of the MLB June Amateur Draft to 191, with the possibility of several others still being taken later in Monday’s first round.

A total of nine PGAA’s have been taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft since 2004, a number that includes Bryce Harper (2010), Gerrit Cole (2011) and Carlos Correa (2012). 2015 PGAA Mickey Moniak went No. 1 overall to the Phillies in 2016 and the Twins took 2016 PGAA Royce Lewis No. 1 overall last year. 2016 PGAA’s Hunter Greene and MacKenzie Gore went 2-3 behind Lewis in 2017.


UPDATE: 19 total PG All-Americans were selected in the first round of the 2018 MLB Draft. Eight more were taken in round two, bringing the Day 1 total to 27. Here are those picks: