Rhode Island
Three Rhode Islanders were taken in Monday’s MLB draft. Who were they? Some aces with familiar faces.
Day 2 of the Major League Baseball draft doesn’t quite draw the attention that Day 1 does, but Monday ended up being a special one for three Rhode Island pitchers.
Middletown’s Ryan Andrade, North Providence’s Nick Conte and Coventry’s Jayden Voelker were all selected out of their respective colleges on Monday afternoon between picks 216 and 246, giving them a chance to chase a goal every baseball player dreams about.
Andrade, a 6-foot-2 right-hander, was first off the board, being drafted in the seventh round by the Tampa Bay Rays with the 216th overall pick.
After helping lead Middletown to the 2021 Division II title — earning first-team All-State honors along the way — Andrade went on to pitch at the University of Rhode Island for two years. He entered the transfer portal and was heavily recruited by power five conferences before ending up at the University of Pittsburgh.
Andrade was the Panthers’ top pitcher this past spring and earned an invite to the MLB Combine, where he shined in front of scouts. Baseball America reported his fastball averaged 93 mph and topped at 95 and had a high spin rate on his pitches as well.
Ten picks after Andrade was drafted, Conte — also a pitcher — was taken, snatched up by the Kansas City Royals with the second pick of the eighth round.
Conte, a 5-10 righthander, starred at North Providence and after a terrific junior season. He was primed for an All-State season in his senior year but COVID robbed him of the chance to play his final year for the Cougars.
The summer prior to his senior year, Conte added 25 pounds to his frame and went from throwing high 80s to the mid-90s. His recruiting went big time after some showcase performances and he went to Duke University. There, he ended up being the closer for the Blue Devils and helped them win the ACC championship his freshman season in 2021.
Conte continued to shine as a reliever at Duke. This past spring he appeared in 20 games, throwing 18⅓ innings while striking out 23. Over his Duke career, Conte held opponents to a .209 batting average.
Later in the eighth round, it was Voelker’s turn, drafted by the Rays with the 246th overall pick.
Voelker didn’t waste time in creating a name for himself at Coventry. He was one of the state’s best pitchers during his freshman season, earning first-team All-State honors in 2018. After making the second team during his sophomore year — then missing junior year after COVID wiped out the season — Voelker earned another first-team selection for his work as a first baseman for the Oakers.
Voelker, a 6-foot-5 righthander, went to Northern Essex Community College and immediately dominated. His first season he posted a 5-1 record with a 1.80 ERA, striking out 49 batters in 30 innings. A wrist injury cost him his 2023 season, but he bounced back with a wildly impressive season to put himself on MLB teams’ radars.
This past spring Voelker was named the 2024 NJCAA Division III Baseball Pitcher of the Year. He went 8-2, striking out 126 batters in only 61 innings of work. His 126 Ks and 18.69 strikeouts per game led the country.