MLB Draft features 12 players with ties to Colorado

AURORA – Over the course of the last three days, the Colorado High School Activities Association had 12 former baseball players drafted by Major League Baseball in the 2023 MLB Draft. The 12 individual draftees mark the most for CHSAA since 2018, with the four players selected straight out of high marking the most Colorado high school seniors drafted since 2017.
 
Eaton High School’s Walker Martin highlighted the draft class, as he was picked up by the San Francisco Giants in the second round, and as the 52nd pick overall. He was followed by Rock Canyon’s Chase Jaworsky (Houston Astros; Round 5, Overall 164), Flatirons Academy’s Jonah Cox (Oakland Athletics; Round 6, Overall 166), Regis Jesuit’s Ethan O’Donnell (Cincinnati Reds; Round 6, Overall 168), Fort Collins’ Colby Shade (Miami Marlins; Round 9, Overall 263), Colorado Academy’s Graham Osman (Cincinnati Reds; Round 10, Overall 288), Cherry Creek’s Jack Moss (Cincinnati Reds; Round 11, Overall 318), Standley Lake’s Brady Rose (New York Yankees; Round 12, Overall 372), ThunderRidge’s Cale Lansville (San Francisco Giants; Round 14, Overall 420), Smoky Hill’s Harry Gustin (San Diego Padres; Round 18, Overall 551), Golden’s Laif Palmer (Texas Rangers; Round 20, Overall 591) and Douglas County’s Max Stanley (Tampa Bay Rays; Round 20, Overall 601).
 
As a second-round pick, Eaton’s Walker Martin became one of just 42 players in Colorado state history to be picked in the first or second round, while he’s the highest player to be drafted out of a Colorado high school since the Baltimore Orioles picked Cherry Creek’s Darnell McDonald at No. 26 in 1997. Martin is the eighth player from Eaton to be drafted straight out of high school, while he’s the school’s 16th alum drafted.
 
Rock Canyon’s Chase Jaworsky, Golden’s Laif Palmer and Douglas County’s Max Stanley joined Martin as high school draftees, bringing CHSAA’s total to 350 high school seniors selected straight out of high school. In addition, with 12 draft picks this year, there have now been 622 unique players from Colorado drafted in MLB Draft history.
 
Jaworsky was the second Colorado player selected, being picked up in the fifth round at No. 164 overall by the Houston Astros. He marks Rock Canyon’s highest-ever draft pick, while he’s the program’s fifth selection and the first since 2019.
 
Palmer and Stanley were both taken in the 20th Round, with Palmer being selected 591 overall by the Texas Rangers. He’s Golden’s ninth draft pick and the first since 2014. Stanley was taken 601 overall by the Tampa Bay Rays. He’s Douglas County’s 11th alum drafted, and first since 2020.
 
Three Colorado alum were taken by Cincinnati, with the Reds picking up Regis Jesuit’s Ethan O’Donnell in the sixth round, Colorado Academy’s Graham Osman in the 10th round and then Cherry Creek’s Jack Moss in the 11th round.
 
O’Donnell, now at Virginia, became the 30th former Regis Jesuit player to be selected, while Osman, now at Long Beach State, became Colorado Academy’s second-ever player drafted, and first since 2011. Moss joined a long list of Cherry Creek players to be drafted, as he’s the 53rd to be picked up, a total that leads the state. He played collegiately at Texas A&M.
 
Jonah Cox made history for Flatirons Academy, as the first-team All-American at Oral Roberts became the first player in school history to be drafted.
 
In the ninth round, the Miami Marlins picked up Colby Shade, from Fort Collins. Now at Oregon, Shade becomes the seventh player from Fort Collins to be drafted, and the first since 2016.
 
Brady Rose, now at Dallas Baptist, is the second alum from Standley Lake to be drafted, and the first since 2018, while ThunderRidge’s Cale Landsville will join Martin in San Francisco, as he became ThunderRidge’s seventh-overall draft pick, and third highest.
 
The final player from Colorado drafted by the MLB was Smoky Hill’s Harry Gustin. Playing college ball at Hawaii, Gustin was picked up by the San Diego. He’s Smoky Hill’s 10th alum drafted and the first since 2011.