On the second day of the 2023 MLB Amateur Draft, the West Virginia Black Bears had four players selected in rounds three through nine. Devin Saltiban heard his name called in the third round with the 98th overall pick, becoming the Black Bears’ highest draft pick in history and the first taken from this year’s MLB Draft League. Additionally, one former Black Bear from the 2021 team was selected.
“To have a player drafted this high after only three seasons in the [MLB Draft] League is fantastic,” said General Manager Leighann Sainato. “The level of competition and talent in the league continues to grow, and it’s exciting to witness the beginning of these players’ professional careers.”
Players drafted on Monday from the 2023 team were infielder Devin Saltiban (3rd round, 98th pick by the Philadelphia Phillies), right-handed pitcher Carlson Reed (4th round, 104th pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates), left-handed pitcher Zach Thornton (5th round, 159th pick by the New York Mets) and outfielder Braden Barry (8th round, 244th pick by the Toronto Blue Jays).
Taken in the third round by the Philadelphia Phillies, Devin Saltiban is the highest draft pick ever selected from the West Virginia Black Bears, and the second highest in MLB Draft League history (98th overall). Saltiban, from Hilo, Hawaii, was a standout for the Bears in the first half of the season. The recent high school graduate appeared in 11 games with six runs, 11 hits and two home runs. One of six players from the league invited to the MLB Draft Combine, Saltiban averaged .262 in 42 at-bats with a .354 OBP.
Carlson Reed was no stranger to Monongalia County Ballpark when he joined the Black Bears in mid-June. Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fourth round, Reed played three seasons at West Virginia University, primarily as a closer for the Mountaineers. The right-handed pitcher from Marietta, Georgia, split his summer between the Trenton Thunder and the Black Bears with a 6.00 ERA in Trenton in 3.0 innings pitched, and a 12.60 ERA in 5.0 innings pitched for West Virginia. Another highly touted prospect, Reed participated in the MLB Draft Combine with Saltiban, as well as the MLB Draft League’s first Prospect Game.
Ranked as one of the top 200 draft prospects prior to joining the team, Zach Thornton joins the New York Mets as a fifth-round pick. Thornton was one of the highest-ranked preseason prospects in the MLB Draft League, making an appearance at the MLB Draft Combine in late June. The lefty from Grand Canyon University posted a 1-0 record in two games with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Thornton notched 12 strikeouts in 10.0 innings on the mound and became one of the most consistent starters for the Bears in the first half.
Braden Barry, drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth round, quickly made his presence known as a Black Bear. The outfielder from Louisville, Kentucky, averaged .346 through six games with five runs, nine hits, two doubles and a .370 OBP. A second-team All-Big 12 honoree, Barry was one of six former Mountaineers who made an appearance in a Black Bears jersey this season. In his time with WVU, Barry had a .282 average, starting 123 games in his collegiate career.
In addition to the 2023 Black Bears selected, former member Jeron Williams from the 2021 team was drafted in the ninth round by the Houston Astros (284th pick). Williams played in 29 games for the Bears under former manager Jedd Gyorko, batting .273 in the league’s inaugural season.
The MLB Draft concludes with rounds 11-20 on Tuesday, July 11, beginning at 2:00 p.m. Draft coverage can be found on MLB.com. While the Draft continues, the Black Bears’ second-half team returns to The Mon for a six-game home stand, beginning Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
