5 West Virginia Black Bears taken in 2024 MLB Draft

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — Five players from the 2024 West Virginia Black Bears heard their names called during this year’s MLB Draft, the team announced Tuesday. This marks 32 total players who have been selected from the team since the organization joined the MLB Draft League in 2021.

Ryan Lambert, a right-handed pitcher from the University of Oklahoma was the highest player taken from the 2024 Black Bears team as the New York Mets took him in the eighth round at 233rd overall. Just 13 picks later, teammate Ethan Sloan was selected in the eighth round at 246th overall by the Detroit Tigers.

Also drafted from the 2024 Black Bears was right-handed pitcher Blake Shepardson, who was taken in the 11th round, 319th overall by the Chicago White Sox, right-handed pitcher Eric Loomis, who was taken in the 16th round, 495th overall by the Texas Rangers and outfielder Andrew Patrick, who was taken in the 17th round, 504th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

On top of the players selected from the Black Bears’ 2024 roster, six former Black Bears were also taken including right-handed pitcher L.P. Langevin, who became the first MLB Draft League player—active or alumni—taken in this year’s draft in the fourth round at 105th overall by the Kansas City Royals.

Other former Black Bears taken this year include:

• Sam Antonaci—Chicago White Sox (5th round, 140th overall)
• Peyton Olejnil—Los Angeles Angels (6th round, 172nd overall)
• Ryan Schiefer—Tampa Bay Rays (14th round, 426th overall)
• Ben Hartl—Texas Rangers (14th round, 435th overall)
• Ryan Degges—Philadelphia Phillies (17th round, 522nd overall)

Overall 52 current and former MLB Draft League players heard their names called during this year’s draft, the most in league history, according to the team. 36 of those players were from active rosters and included 19 pitchers and 17 position players.