Jaden Fauske – Courtesy of Nazareth Academy Communications

Jaden Fauske grew up a huge baseball fan of the Chicago White Sox. After what happened Sunday night, the recent Nazareth Academy graduate might be playing for them in the near future. 

Fauske was selected by the White Sox in the Major League Baseball draft with the No. 44 overall pick and the first pick of the second round. He enjoyed the moment at a draft party in the Willowbrook-Burr Ridge Sports Performance Center in Willowbrook with family and friends that included Nazareth baseball teammates and coaches. 

“He was stoked to be able to play for the White Sox so that’s super-exciting for him,” said Nazareth rising senior and baseball teammate Landon Thome. He’s become one of my really good friends over these last few years at Naz, and I’m so proud of how far he’s come. It’s cool to see he’s staying home as well. I’m really happy for him.”

Fauske now becomes the highest of the seven former Nazareth baseball players drafted. Nazareth head coach Lee Milano said Monday morning the Louisiana State University recruit is still deciding his baseball future.

“I’m just extremely proud of his accomplishment and his future is very bright,” Milano said. “There were a lot of things that took place, a lot of scenarios in a very quick period of time. There were other teams in play and it just was meant to be the White Sox took him with the 44th pick.”

Fauske was named the Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year this past season. The four-year starter also was chosen all-state for the third straight year by the Illinois Baseball Coaches Association (twice Class 4A, once 3A) and the East Suburban Catholic Conference’s Most Valuable Player for the second time. 

Fauske is listed as a 6-foot-2, 205-pound outfielder/catcher on the Nazareth roster. Thome, a shortstop committed to Tennessee, joined Fauske on this year’s 4A all-state team for the first time in his third varsity season. 

Jim Thome, Landon’s father, is a Nazareth Academy assistant coach and MLB Hall of Famer who played for the White Sox from 2006-09 and currently works for the team. 

“He was actually in the draft room when they drafted Jaden so that was awesome. That was definitely exciting for him, especially being able to coach him and take him as well,” Landon Thome said. 

Fauske was the starting third baseman and left-fielder, respectively, for the Roadrunners’ back-to-back 3A state championship teams in 2022-23 followed by 4A regional titles the past two seasons. The teams Fauske played with had a combined 135-21 record. Fauske also contributed to two state championship football teams. 

This past season, Fauske had a .475 batting average, .601 on-base percentage, .832 slugging percentage and 1.433 OPS with six home runs, 40 runs batted in and 33 stolen bases. His career totals: .492 average, .590 OBP, .744 SLG, 1.334 OPS, 12 homers, 136 RBIs, 73 stolen bases in 78 attempts, 44 doubles and 10 triples.

After the Roadrunners lost in the sectional semifinals, Fauske acknowledged the pressure of playing in front of numerous MLB scouts throughout the season. 

“He was definitely the most scrutinized player we’ve had, being watched on a daily basis, and he handled it so well, which shows you how good of a job his parents have done,” Milano said. “Like every experience, this is unique. Every story’s different. I’m just extremely proud of the way Jaden and his family handled the process.”  

Fauske said he gained insight as a junior watching 2024 Nazareth graduate Cooper Malamazian handle similar draft pressures before being taken in the 17th round by the Milwaukee Brewers. Malamazian elected to play for Indiana University.

“It was really impressive to see how [Fauske] could stay composed it front of all of those guys. He didn’t really show it but you could kind of tell he was under the spotlight,” Thome said. “Every move he made was being looked at. I looked up to him this year. He really motivated me as far as composing myself and keeping my emotions.”

Last summer also saw the previous highest initial Nazareth draft selection when 2021 graduate Ryan Smith was taken in the ninth round by the Houston Astros. In addition, 2019 graduate Michael Prosecky was drafted in the sixth round by the Colorado Rockies in 2022 after initially being drafted in the 35th round in 2019 by the Philadelphia Phillies. 

Other former Nazareth players drafted were 2018 graduate Derek Salata in 2023 (19th round by Oakland Athletics), 2016 graduate Brandon Bossard (31st round by White Sox in 2016) and 2000 graduate Mike Spidale (12th round by White Sox in 2000). 

Spidale was a minor league player for 13 years with the White Sox and Phillies. In April, Spidale’s No. 10 became Nazareth’s first baseball uniform number officially retired by the school.

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