NECBL Draft Tracker 2016

2014 Keene Swamp Bat Eric Lauer (Kent State) went 25th overall, the first NECBL alum selected.

Smart on Sports will keep you up to date on NECBL alumni selected as the 2015 draft unfolds. Check back to this page after the draft for detailed scouting reports on each player selected.

Rd-Pick-Team

1-25 San Diego Padres
Selection: Eric Lauer, LHP, Kent State (Keene Swamp Bats '14)

Lauer was the 2016 MAC Pitcher of the Year, striking out 125 in 104 innings while posting a 0.69 ERA, lowest at the Division I level since 1979. Lauer has a low-90s fastball that reaches 94 mph, a solid 78-83 mph slider, and a mid-70s curveball and a changeup with some sink and fade. He threw for the Swamp Bats in 2014, appearing in four games and totaling 15 2/3 innings. He struck out 17 and finished with a 4.02 ERA.

1-32 Los Angeles Dodgers
Selection: Will Smith, C, Louisville (Newport Gulls '14)

Smith joined the Gulls midway through June and hit .429 in the playoffs. He hit just .235 in his first two years at Louisville, but leaped up to a .380/.476/.573 slash line this spring as one of the nation's top catchers. Smith is known for his defensive prowess, with solid arm strength and such a quick transfer that he consistently records pop times of 1.9 seconds or less. People rarely run on the catcher as he's athletic and agile.

LOT A-36 Los Angeles Dodgers
Selection: Jordan Sheffield, RHP, Vanderbilt (Laconia Muskrats '14)

Sheffield had Tommy John surgery that hurt his stock and dropped him to the 13th round two years ago, but he returned and has shown excellent stuff both in the NECBL and the Cape the following summer. With the Muskrats, he had command issues -- 30 walks in 35 innings -- but he also struck out 34. His fastball sits at 94-96 and can reach 98, while he has a three-quarters breaking ball and a circle change that helped him excel this spring. He put together a 32-inning scoreless streak with the Commodores and struck out 113 in 101 innings.

2-45 Colorado Rockies
Selection: Ben Bowden, LHP, Vanderbilt (Plymouth Pilgrims '14)

Bowden struck out five in four innings for the Pilgrims in 2014, and went on to dominate the Cape the following summer. He piled up 31 strikeouts in 17 1/3 shutout innings for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox. Bowden starter this spring in the Commodores rotation, but moved to the bullpen and found success. He has a 90-95 mph fastball and has both an upper-70s curve and a low-80s slider. The Rockies will have to decide whether he'll turn into a middle of the rotation starter or a high-leverage reliever.

2-62 New York Yankees
Selection: Nick Solak, 2B, Louisville (Vermont Mountaineers '14)

Solak has enjoyed a stellar college career at Louisville. He posted the highest batting average (.351) and on-base percentage (.455) on Louisville's 2014 World Series team as a semi-regular, then was raking at a .455 clip through 22 games this spring before missing a month after getting hit by a pitch in the hand. Solak hit .275 in 24 games for the Mountaineers in 2014, scoring 12 runs and stealing three bases. He's a talented defender, but some scouts think he might move to center field because he's not super smooth.

2-70 St. Louis Cardinals
Selection: Connor Jones, RHP, Virginia (Keene Swamp Bats '14)

The last pick in the second round, Jones made four starts for Keene in 2014 and struck out a batter an inning, going 3-0 with a 1.99 ERA. He made two starts in the College World Series when the Cavaliers won last year and has a fastball up to 93-94 mph, sitting in the 90-92 range. He also has a curve and a strikeout pitch in his slider. He was Virginia's Friday night starter this spring, making 15 starts and going 11-1 with a 2.34 ERA.

3-100 New York Mets
Selection: Blake Tiberi, 3B, Louisville (Vermont Mountaineers '14)

Tiberi was a huge part of the Mountaineers in 2014, slashing .372/.451/.504 with 10 extra-base hits, 13 RBIs, and 22 runs scored. He followed it up with an excellent summer in the Cape, and hit .330 this spring in Louisville. A draft-eligible sophomore, Tiberi slugged 17 doubles and boasted a 914 OPS with the Cardinals. There’s a legit plus hit tool there and his athleticism is fantastic for an infielder.

4-127 Houston Astros
Selection: Brett Adcock, LHP, Michigan (Sanford Mainers '14)