Bradenton, Fla - Former players that have played for the SCF baseball team will make their dreams of playing baseball professionally for Major League Baseball (MLB) a reality as five players were selected in the 2024 MLB draft with Brandon Clarke highlighting the way as the first pick of the Manatees that have been selected. Classmate Jalen Hairston and former Manatees Christian Gordon and Owen Ayers were also selected in the draft while fellow former Manatee Tony Rossi signed as an undrafted free agent.
Clarke, a left-handed pitcher, was selected in the fifth round (148th overall) by the Boston Red Sox while also being committed to the University of South Carolina. While listed #177 in the MLB.com Top 250 prospect, the native of Cary, North Carolina finished his two seasons with the Manatees 6-4 with a 4.73 ERA, 43 walks and 113 strikeouts in 78 innings of work. After appearing towards the end of the 2023 season due to injury following his transfer from Alabama, Clarke made his breakout season this past season as one of the nation's best pitchers as he went 6-2 with a 4.36 ERA, 35 walks and 107 strikeouts while being named a member of the All-Citrus Conference First Team. His 107 strikeouts ranked
Hairston, an infielder from Winter Haven, Florida, was selected in the 18th round (539th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds. For two seasons with the Manatees, he batted .376 with 91 hits, 64 runs scored, six home runs and 47 RBI while being named a member of the All-Citrus Conference First Team and the All-NJCAA Region 8 First Team.
Gordon, a left-handed pitcher from Monroe, Virginia, was selected in the 16th round (474th overall) by the Chicago Cubs. After completing his freshman year at Liberty University, Gordon joined the Manatees during the 2022 season. There he went 1-1 with a 6.65 ERA, 29 walks and 25 strikeouts in 23 innings of work.
Following his season with the Manatees, he would transfer to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) for the next two seasons where he went 10-4 overall with a 4.16 ERA, 53 walks and 133 strikeouts in 110.1 innings where he was recently named a member of the All-Atlantic 10 Conference Second Team. Additionally, during the 2024 season, Gordon helped the Rams to win the Atlantic 10 Conference Baseball Tournament and automatically qualify for the 2024 NCAA College Baseball World Series.
Ayers will also Gordon on the Cubs as he was selected in the 19th round (572nd overall). A switch hitting catcher/outfielder and local product from Sarasota, Ayers played three seasons for the Manatee (2020-22) where he compiled a career .276 batting average with 137 hits, 117 runs, 23 home runs and 112 RBI while earning a spot on the 2022 All-Suncoast Conference First Team.
Ayers would then transfer to Marshall University where he finished second all-time in career doubles in program history (39) and finished his career batting .288 with 101 hits, 66 runs, 12 home runs and 49 RBI.
Rossi, a right-handed pitcher from Lake Mary, Florida, signed with the New York Yankees after being undrafted in the MLB Draft. He played for the Manatees for two seasons (2020-21) where he went 5-3 overall with a 5.37 ERA, one save, 40 walks and 91 strikeouts in 68.2 innings before transferring to the University of North Carolina - Charlotte for the next three years where he finished 9-2 with a 5.05 ERA, seven saves, 54 walks and 116 strikeouts in 87.1 innings of work with the 49ers. Last year, Rossi originally signed a contract with the San Francisco Giants as an undrafted free agent before opting to return to UNC Charlotte for his redshirt senior year.
Congratulations to all of our former Manatees who were drafted and/or signed contracts in the MLB.
