CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Twenty-eight Appalachian League alumni were selected in the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft. Seven of the first 100 draft picks were former Appy League players; one first-round pick, two second-round picks and four third-round picks.
Marcus Phillips (Elizabethton ‘24) became the league’s first selection in 2025 when the Boston Red Sox drafted him with the 33rd overall pick. Phillips is the third first-round pick in league history, and the second highest overall selection.
Including Phillips, seven alumni were selected in the first three rounds. Bristol’s Cooper Flemming (53rd overall) and Tanner Franklin (72nd) were both second round picks, while Josh Owens (84th), Jacob Morrison (94th), Cody Miller (96th) and Cody Bowker (100th) were third round picks. Previously, only four alumni were selected in the first three rounds in the first four years of the league’s history.
Four selections played in the Appy League in 2025: Flemming (Bristol), Owens (Elizabethton), Wyatt Vincent (Pulaski) and Landry Jurecka (Pulaski). Flemming, Owens and Vincent were the first high schoolers ever drafted out of the Appy League.
Every Appy League team had a player selected in this year’s draft, Elizabethton led the way with seven selections and Pulaski followed close behind with six. Six different Major League clubs took at least two former Appy Leaguers; the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Yankees led the way with three selections each.
The complete list of Appalachian League players selected can be found here.
About the Appalachian League
Founded in 1911, the Appalachian League is one of the longest-running baseball leagues in history. The Appy League is the only collegiate summer league under MLB and USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline (“PDP”) and is an integral part of the identification and development process for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Teams and other future National teams.
For more information about the Appalachian League, visit appyleague.com or follow @appyleague and @appyleaguedata on X, and @appyleague on Instagram.
