FORT MYERS, Fla.- Another Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneer ace is headed to the professional ranks as Tuesday righthander Magnus Ellerts heard his name called in the 11th round of the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft by the Cleveland Guardians making him the fifth FSW pitcher to go in the Top 13 rounds of the draft in the past two seasons.
Ellerts was a perfect 10-0 as a sophomore for FSW in 2022, earning Suncoast Conference Pitcher of the Year honors. He started 14 games, posting a 2.48 ERA with 101 strikeouts in 69 innings pitched, making him one of just six pitchers in the NJCAA ranks to finish in the Top 20 Nationally in all three Triple Crown categories (wins, ERA, strikeouts).
With Ellerts selection by the Guardians, FSW has now had a pitcher drafted in the top 11 rounds of each of the last three full Major League Baseball Drafts, joining Carlos Rodriguez (6th Rd 2021), Alex Ayala (9th Rd 2021), Marc Davis (11th Rd 2021), and Ryan Gusto (11th Rd 2019). He is the fourth highest FSW player ever drafted (331st overall) behind Rodriguez, Ayala, and Davis.
The 2022 MLB Draft will conclude Tuesday afternoon after 20 rounds with a number of other FSW players in the mix to be selected by a big league club.