COLLEGE PARK -- The University of Maryland baseball program had seven players selected in the 2023 MLB Draft which took place July 9-11. Maryland student-athletes
Matt Shaw,
Luke Shliger,
Jason Savacool,
Nick Lorusso,
Nigel Belgrave,
Nick Dean and
Tommy Kane each heard their names called over the three-day event. Seven draft picks are the most for the Terrapins since 2015 and the sixth-most in all of college baseball this year.
University of Maryland junior shortstop
Matt Shaw became the highest draft pick in program history after being selected No. 13 overall by the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, July 9th.
With the selection, Matt Shaw passes John Hetrick who was taken with the No. 17 pick by the Detroit Tigers in 1967. Shaw becomes the sixth first-round draft pick in program history and the first since Brett Cecil in 2007.
The 2023 Big Ten Player of the Year, Shaw was a consensus first-team All-American selection, most recently receiving honors from D1Baseball. Shaw completed one of the best seasons in Terp history, batting .341 with 24 home runs, 90 hits and 69 RBIs in 2023. A first-team All-Big Ten selection in both his sophomore and junior seasons, Shaw set the Maryland all-time home run record, finishing his illustrious career in College Park with 53 home runs passing Paul Schager (1984-87). A Brimfield, Massachusetts native Shaw was previously named a first team All-American by Collegiate Baseball News, the National College Baseball Writers Association, American Baseball Coaches Association and Baseball America. Shaw was named the top shortstop in the nation on Wednesday, May 14th being selected as the 2023 Brooks Wallace Award winner by the College Baseball Hall of Fame.
In the summer of 2022, Shaw starred as the Cape Cod Summer Player of the Year. He led the league with a .360 batting average while hitting five home runs and stealing 21 bases to lead the Bourne Braves to the CCBL Championship.
Shaw, is the fifth Terp taken by the Cubs all-time and the first since Charlie White was a 21st round pick of the club in 2014.
Maryland junior catcher Luke Shliger, junior right-handed pitcher Jason Savacool, and senior infielder Nick Lorusso were each selected on Day Two of the MLB Draft on Monday, July 10th.
This marks the first time since 2015 that Maryland baseball has had four selections in the top-10 rounds of the MLB Draft. It is the first time in program history that it has had four selections in the top-nine rounds.
Shliger was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 6th round (180th overall). With his selection, Shliger becomes the first Maryland catcher to be drafted since Kevin Martir was taken in the 18th round by the Houston Astros in 2015.
Shliger, a Buster Posey Award Semifinalist was a force as the Maryland captain in 2023. The Danbury, Connecticut led the Terps with a .523 on-base percentage while leading the nation in runs (93) and sitting second in walks (69). The 2023 All-Big Ten First Team selection became the Maryland all-time leader in runs scored, passing Head Coach Matt Swope (1999-2002) who held the record with 181. A catalyst out of the lead-off position in the lineup, Shliger earned four All-American honors in his junior season, being named a third-team selection by Collegiate Baseball News and a second-team honoree by D1Baseball, the ABCA and Baseball America.
Shliger, becomes the fourth Terp taken by the San Francisco Giants all-time and the first since Mike Rescigno was a 25th round pick of the club in 2016.
Savacool was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 6th round (185th overall). The Baldwinsville, New York native cemented his Maryland legacy over three seasons, entering the top-5 in program history in innings pitched (279.0), wins (24), and strikeouts (270). The two-time All-Big Ten selection was a work-horse in the Terrapin rotation during the 2023 campaign leading the pitching staff in strikeouts (95) and innings pitched (96.0).
Savacool, is the fifth Maryland player selected by the St. Louis Cardinals all-time and the first since Nick Dunn was a 5th round pick of the team in 2018.
Nick Lorusso was selected by the New York Mets in the 9th round(276th overall). Lorusso, the nation's leader in RBI with 105 in 2023, was one of the most dangerous hitters in all of college baseball this season. The Monroe, Connecticut native,
Nick Lorusso recorded one of the best individual seasons in Maryland baseball history as he led the team in hits (100), RBI (105), and batting average (.379), while setting the single-season program record with 26 home runs. The 2023 All-Big Ten First Team honoree holds the Maryland program record for single-game (8), single-season (105) and career (175) RBIs, doing so in just two years with the Terps. Lorusso's 105 RBI are the most for any Division I college baseball player since Billy Becher tallied 118 for New Mexico State in 2003. Named the Big Ten Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, Lorusso is a consensus national All-American in 2023, receiving recognition from D1Baseball, Collegiate Baseball News, NCBWA, ABCA, and Baseball America.
Lorusso, becomes the fifth Terp taken by the New York Mets all-time and the first since Hunter Parsons was a 19th round pick of the club in 2019.
University of Maryland redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher
Nigel Belgrave, senior right-handed pitcher
Nick Dean and junior left-handed pitcher
Tommy Kane were selected on Day Three of the MLB Draft on Tuesday, July 11th.
The Miami Marlins selected Belgrave in the 15th round (443rd overall). The Auburn, Massachusetts native was impressive out of the bullpen for the Terps striking out 43 batters in 33.2 innings of work. Flashing an elite slider and high-velocity fastball, Belgrave was often turned to for late-inning work, going 4-0 out of the bullpen, and recording two saves.
Belgrave, becomes the second Terp taken by the Marlins all-time, joining Jared Price who was a 37th round pick of the club in 2017.
The Chicago Cubs drafted Dean in the 19th round (556th overall) after taking fellow Terrapin
Matt Shaw with their first-round pick. Dean was 13-6 in 43 starts as a four-year member of the Terps weekend rotation. The Bensalem, Pa., native had a career 4.44 ERA and struck out 219 (8th in school history) in 231.0 IP. He was a third-team All-Big Ten selection in 2022.
Dean is the fourth Terrapin ever selected by the Cubs.
The San Francisco Giants selected Kane in the 19th round (570th overall). The hard-throwing Broomall, Pa., native was limited by injury in his lone season in College Park, but appeared 17 times with 29 strikeouts in 28.1 IP. He previously played at Rowan College for two seasons.
Kane is the fifth Terp ever selected by the Giants. Luke Shilger was taken by the club in the sixth round on Monday.
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