Kansas baseball fans will need to stock up on MLB jerseys as six Kansas Jayhawks were drafted in the three-day broadcast of the 2024 MLB Draft.
Kansas baseball draft picks
Hunter Cranton, Right-Handed Pitcher: Seattle Mariners, Pick 91
Kodey Shojinaga, Infleider/Catcher: Philadelphia Phillies, Pick 192
Ethan Lanthier, Right-Handed Pitcher: New York Mets, Pick 353
Tegan Cain, Right-Handed Pitcher: Philadelphia Phillies, Pick 402
Ben Hartl, Catcher: Drafted by the Texas Rangers, Pick 435
Evan Shaw, Left-Handed Pitcher: Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pick 490
Redshirt senior Hunter Cranton and sophomore Kodey Shojinaga were the standout picks. Both Jayhawks were highly sought after and spotlighted during the second day of the draft.
Right-handed pitcher Cranton was drafted 91st overall by the Seattle Mariners in the third round. While in the sixth round, Shojinaga was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies, 192nd overall.
“He [Cranton] is in the top 1% of college pitchers this spring in terms of chase rate, swing and miss rate, and zone swing and miss rate,” said Jim Callis, senior writer for MLB Pipeline. “An unhittable fastball. He could move very quickly as a reliever.”
In Cranton’s final season, he demonstrated exceptional control, issuing only nine walks across 25 appearances with 38 strikeouts. While consistently delivering upper-90s fastballs, occasionally reaching 100 mph.
Throughout his two seasons on the mound, Cranton played a pivotal role in leading the Jayhawks to success. He earned a 2024 All-Big 12 Honorable Mention and tied for fifth in the Big 12 in saves.
Kansas baseball head coach Dan Fitzgerald, in his second year of coaching, recruited Cranton in 2022. Fitzgerald was able to shape and mentor Cranton’s game for the jump to the professional level.
“Hunter has two legitimate major league pitches and should be a quick mover through a really awesome Mariners player development system,” Fitzgerald said in a press release.
Cranton is tied for the second-highest draft pick in Kansas baseball history while Shojinaga is tied for the fifth-highest position player to be drafted.
Coach Fitzgerald also trained Shojinaga for the past two seasons and witnessed his growth as a player. Fitzgerald was thrilled to see Shojinaga get drafted and expressed his confidence in Shojinaga’s future success.
“Shoj had an incredible career as a Jayhawk and will undoubtedly continue to progress through a fantastic Phillies organization,” Fitzgerald said in a press release. “Kodey has elite bat-to-ball skills, outstanding plate discipline, and a huge capacity for work.”
Shojinaga was originally recruited as a catcher but was converted to an infielder. As a walk-on in 2023, he earned Kansas’ first-ever Big 12 Freshman of the Year title. During this past season, he averaged 42 runs and 11 home runs, leading his team with 78 hits and 20 doubles.
He is leaving Kansas with several honors, including 2024 All-Big 12 second team, 2024 CSC Academic All-District, 2024 Preseason All-Big 12 Team and 2024 Big 12 Co-Player of the week on Feb. 19.
Coach Fitzgerald praised his coaching staff and the recent draft success of his players.
“I’m really proud of this draft class,” Fitzgerald said in a press release. “We’ve come a long way in two years. My staff did a fantastic job in finding these guys, recruiting them, and developing them at a high level!”
The selection of the top pick of Cranton and Shojinaga, along with the other four drafted players, marks a significant achievement for the Kansas baseball program.
All six former Jayhawks will have the opportunity to prove themselves to their new teams in the minor leagues this upcoming season.