A few HBCU baseball players are now part of MLB organizations in the aftermath of the 2023 MLB Draft. The St. Louis Cardinals made Delaware State infielder Trey Paige the No. 515 pick in the draft with their 17th-round round pick. The San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres signed a pair of HBCU players who weren't picked in the MLB Draft.
Paige was the 2022 MEAC Player of the Year with a .407 batting average and 13 home runs in 48 games. The HBCU star didn't put up quite the same eye-popping numbers in the 2023 season, though the Cardinals' draft pick still had a monster season with .372/.468/.691 splits.
“Our Hornet family is excited for Trey. ‘Cap’ has put in the work, and now he gets the opportunity he deserves,” Delaware State head coach JP Blandin Blandin said, via HBCU Sports. “I am very grateful that the Cardinals drafted him as we have some former assistant coaches in that organization, and all told, it will be a perfect fit for him. He will make a great professional baseball player, and we all wish him the best.”
Eight Delaware State players have now been selected in the MLB Draft.
After the draft, the Giants signed Florida A&M catcher Ty Hanchey. The Padres agreed to a deal with Bethune Cookman pitcher Joan Gonzalez.
Hanchey hit .355/.454/.599 with 11 home runs for Florida A&M in the 2023 season. He had nearly twice as many walks as strikeouts. Gonzalez had a 3.61 ERA in 47.1 innings, leading the SWAC with eight saves. Gonzalez was selected to Black College Nines HBCU Baseball Elite’s first team for 2023.
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