Maine high school star, UConn closer highlight MLB draft selections

UConn's Jacob Wallace (Methuen, Mass.) was the first college player from New England drafted. (Stephen Slade/UConn Athletics)

Trejyn Fletcher’s dramatic rise up draft boards this spring culminated with him being the first New England native selected in the 2019 MLB draft.

Fletcher kicked off somewhat of a slow start to the MLB draft from a New England perspective; he was the only New Englander taken on Day 1 on Monday, and one of only two New England players selected in the first four rounds.

However, Fletcher’s selection by the St. Louis Cardinals in the second round (58th overall) certainly was noteworthy for historical purposes. Fletcher — a 6-foot-1, 200-pound 18-year-old — was the highest selection of any Maine native since another Deering High player, Ryan Flaherty, was taken No. 41 in the 2008 MLB draft. Flaherty — now playing for Triple-A Columbus in the Cleveland organization — has played seven seasons in the major leagues.

Fletcher’s rise up draft boards was swift due to the fact that he was not even classified as a 2019 draft-eligible prospect until this spring. He started the school year at Trinity-Pawling School (N.Y.) rated as the No. 1 player in Perfect Game’s 2020 class. The Vanderbilt commit transferred to Deering in March and received MLB approval to reclassify for the class of 2019. He immediately jumped to No. 86 overall on the MLB’s ranking of the top 100 prospects heading into the draft.