Over the course of three days and 20 rounds, a total of 615 players were taken in the latest Major League Baseball Draft and 10 of them were from Colorado.
Among those with local ties were a pair of arms who pitched at Aurora’s Cherokee Trail High School in Ethan Sloan and Nolan Sparks, who both lost their seniors seasons in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sloan went in the eighth round with the 236th overall pick to the Detroit Tigers, while Sparks lasted until pick No. 381, which belonged to the St. Louis Cardinals and came in the 13th round.
Sloan pitched for Cherokee Trail under coach Steve Eaton in the 2018-19 season and logged 30 1/3 innings on the mound with a record of 2-1 and a 3.46 ERA. He went on to pitch at Denver’s Regis University for four seasons and progressively got to the point where he had drawn professional interest with raised velocity and his competitiveness.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound left-hander finished his career with a 14-8 record and 13 saves and 167 strikeouts in 127 2/3 innings. Sloan’s last season was his best as he finished 4-2 with nine saves and a 3.96 ERA.
“I think most kids have that dream of being a professional athlete, whether that be baseball, football or whichever sport. And I had that dream growing up too until about high school, when I saw some of the talent around me, and that dream kind of shifted to making it to the college level,” Sloan said in a release from Regis University after he was drafted.
“I signed with Regis and my whole goal was I wanted to work so hard, and reach the very peak of my potential, that in four years’ time I wouldn’t have any regrets in retiring from baseball. But then things started to change a bit around my junior year.”
Sloan really excelled in the bullpen in his past two seasons and his velocity has topped out at 97 MPH.
“I think Detroit is getting a kid that has a desire to be very good and has a track record of having swing-and-miss stuff, which has become a very valued part of the pro game,” Regis coach Pat Jolley said in a statement. “Ethan is also a guy who, no matter what the score is, you can always count on to go out and compete.”
Sparks, meanwhile, walked on at Division III University of Rochester, where the 5-foot-10 right-hander carved out a name for himself. A two-time Liberty League Pitcher of the Year and All-Liberty League first team selection, Sparks finished with a career record of 19-5 with 248 strikeouts in 209 innings, which included a senior year in which he was 4-2 with a 2.25 ERA and made 10 starts.
“It’s a crazy feeling,” Sparks told Rob Rains of STLsportspage.com. “At first, getting to college baseball was the dream. Once I got there and was playing, I was just trying to get better and better. Once I found out there might be a small little chance of getting into pro ball, I just kept working my tail off and now we’re here.”
Sparks’ coach Joe Reina added in a statement from Rochester: “I’m very happy for Nolan. This is something he has wanted to have happen and worked hard for it. I’m proud of him.”
Cherokee Trail’s list of draft players grew to five according to CHSAA records, as they joined two other pitchers — Alex Achtermann (2014) and Zachary Dando (2009) — and outfielder Micah Green (2009).
All-time, Regis Jesuit leads Aurora-area prep programs with 27 drafted players, with the last one coming in 2023 when outfielder Ethan O’Donnell (who was playing at the University of Virginia) went in the sixth round (168th overall) to the Centennial Reds.
Hinkley is next with nine draftees, while Aurora Central, Overland and Smoky Hill have eight apiece, Rangeview five, Grandview four, Gateway three and Eaglecrest two.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
