The lives of hundreds of baseball players changed this weekend.

That happens every single summer, when Major League Baseball holds its annual amateur player draft. Over three days, MLB teams choose the players who they've been scouting for months, if not years, with the intention of those players becoming the future of their respective franchise.

Of the hundreds of players who were drafted to join the professional baseball ranks, a few have ties to the Capital Region's deep baseball community. Here's what you should know about the newest members of professional baseball from the Albany, NY area.

Get our free mobile app

Michael Kennedy (Troy High School) Drafted by Pittsburgh Pirates

The first name that was chosen from the area, was high school left-handed pitcher Michael Kennedy. The Troy High School graduate posted a PERFECT 13-0 record on the mound for the Flying Horses, according to a profile done on him by CBS 6 in Albany. For his efforts, he was taken in the 4th round, with the 110th overall pick.

Kennedy has impressive mechanics on the mound, which you can see here:

Kennedy is also currently committed to play college baseball for LSU, one of the best programs in the history of college baseball. If he chooses to sign with his draft team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, he will forego his college eligibility and head to the pros.


Luke Gold (Ballston Spa / Boston College) Drafted by Detroit Tigers

One round later, another Capital Region baseball player was selected. This time, it was Luke Gold, a former standout at Ballston Spa High School, and three-year member of the Boston College Eagles' baseball team. The Tigers chose him in the 5th round, with pick No. 147 overall.

Following his tenure with Ballston Spa, in which he won a state title, Gold has become a standout for Boston College, which you can see here:

Gold was a mainstay for the Eagles in his third season, as he hit .309 in 53 games, with nine home runs and an OPS of .958. He was tied for the team lead in OPS in games played, as well as second in batting average.


Dale Stanavich (Amsterdam / Rutgers) Drafted by Miami Marlins

A few rounds later, another Capital Region baseball alum was chosen by a Major League Baseball franchise. This time, it was another southpaw, as left-handed pitcher Dale Stanavich was chosen by Miami in the 8th round with the 232nd pick.

Stanavich was a multi-sport star in the Capital Region, as in addition to his 15-3 record in 22 pitching appearances, he was the New York Class A Player of the Year in football. He stuck with baseball as he entered college, and moved from Herkimer Community College to Rutgers in 2021.

In 2022, he was named to the All-Big Ten First Team, and from this video, it's pretty clear why:

He pitched to a 2.62 ERA and 10 saves in 22 appearances for the Scarlet Knights in 2022. Only one player pitched in more games than Stanavich this season, and no player with more than 15 appearances had a better ERA this year.

Congratulations to these Capital Region baseball players on being chosen in the 2022 MLB Draft!

One Famous Athlete Born in Each of the Capital Region's 11 Counties

From the "big four" professional sports leagues, to the Olympics and beyond, a number of famous athletes were born and raised right here in the Capital Region. Here is one famous athlete from each of the 11 counties in the Capital District.

The Moments That Have Defined Ian Anderson's Baseball Career

More From Q 105.7