ATLANTIC LEAGUE HOLDS ANNUAL PLAYER DRAFT

Atlantic League Holds Annual Player Draft
Kentucky Wild Health Genomes pick first female in league history

(March 23, 2022, Viera, Fla.) – The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball held its annual Player Draft on Wednesday at the USSSA Space Coast Complex in Viera, Fla. The draft occurred at the end of the two-day Atlantic League Professional Showcase presented by Prospect Dugout.

Hector Guance was the first overall pick, going to the Staten Island FerryHawks who will begin their first season of play in 2022. Guance is a 6-6, 200-pound righthanded pitcher who spent six years in professional baseball including five seasons in the Baltimore organization. A native of San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, the 26-year old Guance compiled a 22-21 record in the minors, primarily as a starting pitcher.

The second pick went to the Kentucky Wild Health Genomes, another first-year franchise in the Atlantic League. The Genomes traded the pick to Long Island in return for the rights to OF Chris Shaw. Long Island then drafted LHP Cody Beckman with the second pick of the first round.

As new entries to the Atlantic League, the FerryHawks and the Genomes alternated on the first 12 picks of the draft.  The third overall pick by the FerryHawks was RHP Jordan Simpson. Kentucky then selected C Robbie Kellerman with the fourth pick.

Staten Island’s other selections included LHP Anthony Rodriguez (No. 5) and RHP Yohn Zapata (No. 11). The FerryHawks traded away their seventh and ninth selections for players to be named later.

Kentucky selected utility player Will Decker at No. 6 before selecting C Alexis “Scrappy” Hopkins at No. 8.  Hopkins is believed to be the first female ever drafted by an American professional baseball team for an on-field role. In 2008, in a special supplemental Negro League draft to the MLB Draft, the Washington Nationals selected 72-year old Mamie “Peanut” Johnson to mark the first woman ever drafted.

The Genomes are expected to offer Hopkins the position of bullpen catcher.

“Scrappy handled the pitchers better than most of the guys here,” said Southern Maryland Blue Crabs manager Stan Cliburn, a former Major League catcher. “There were guys throwing 93 to 95 (MPH) and she handled it just fine. And she was really good at blocking and picking the ball as well.”

Kentucky added RHP Bradley Hines at No. 10 and 1B Alex Wemple at No. 12 to conclude their first round selections.

Southern Maryland made the ninth selection after obtaining the pick from Staten Island and chose RHP Junior Navas.

Gastonia used the 13th pick in the draft to select SS Kevin Lambert while York picked LHP Adrian Alarcon with the 14th pick. Lancaster chose LHP Josh Smith at No. 15 and was followed by Charleston which took OF Kyle Robinson. Defending Atlantic League champion Lexington picked LHP Darrien Ragins with the 17th pick overall. Southern Maryland added LHP Dario Polanco at No. 18 and High Point picked RHP Thomas Derer with the 19th pick. Long Island passed on the final selection of the first round and all teams passed on the second round.

The Atlantic League teams open spring training on April 10 and Opening Day is slated for Thursday, April 21.

The complete draft follows:

2022 Atlantic League Draft Order

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Pick                       Team                    Selection No.                   

1                            Staten Island      Hector Guance                  RHP

2                            Kentucky              Traded to Long Island

                              Long Island         Cody Beckman                  LHP

3                            Staten Island      Jordan Simpson                RHP

4                            Kentucky              Robbie Kellerman             C

5                            Staten Island      Anthony Rodriguez          LHP

6                            Kentucky              Will Decker                        UTIL

7                            Staten Island      Trade to York

                              York                      Matt Meyer                        LHP

8                            Kentucky              Alexis “Scrappy” Hopkins C

9                            Staten Island      Trade to So. Maryland

                              So. Maryland      Junior Navas                     RHP

10                          Kentucky              Bradley Hines                    RHP

11                          Staten Island      Yohn Zapata                      RHP

12                          Kentucky              Alex Wemple                     1B

13                          Gastonia              Kevin Lambert                   SS

14                          York                      Adrian Alarcon                  LHP

15                          Lancaster            Josh Smith                          LHP

16                          Charleston          Kyle Robinson                   OF

17                          Lexington            Darrien Ragins                  LHP

18                          So. Maryland      Dario Polanco                   LHP

19                          High Point           Thomas Derer                   RHP

20                          Long Island         pass

About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)

The Atlantic League is a leader in baseball innovation and a player gateway to Major League Baseball. Through its exclusive partnership with MLB, the Atlantic League tests Major League Baseball rules and equipment initiatives. The Atlantic League has sent over 1,000 players to MLB organizations while drawing more than 44 million fans to its affordable, family-friendly ballparks throughout its 24-year history. For more information, please visit www.AtlanticLeague.com.