Two Former Pirates Selected in MLB Draft

Two former members of the Ventura College baseball team were selected in last week's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Both players selected were pitchers for the Pirates in 2017. Andrew Nardi was selected in the 16th round, 471st overall by the Miami Marlins while Justin Friedman had his name called by the Chicago White Sox in the 26th round, the 770th overall pick.

Nardi, a product of Royal High School in Simi Valley, was primarily a relief pitcher in 2017 for VC, sporting a 1.17 earned run average over 30.1 innings of work in 14 appearances. The southpaw had 38 strikeouts, an average of 11.15 K's per nine innings, with just nine walks while allowing just four runs all season. Nardi, who was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 39th round of the 2017 draft, signed witth the University of Arizona in 2018 and pitched with the Wildcats this past spring.

Friedman, meanwhile, a native of Pittstown, NJ, was the ace of the pitching staff with a remarkable 8-2 record over 12 starts for the Pirates. He threw 79.2 innings with 67 strikeouts and 28 walks. His 2.15 ERA was lowest among the VC starting pitchers that season. He signed with NCAA Division I University of San Diego out of VC before finishing his collegiate career this past spring at Hope International University in Fullerton. 

Ventura College has had 15 current or former players selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft since 1999, four in the past three years.