Pair of Pitt Panthers picked by Padres on 2nd day of MLB Draft

A pair of Pitt baseball players were chosen by the San Diego Padres on the second day of the MLB Draft on Monday.

Left-handed pitcher Ryan Reed was selected in the 15th round (460th overall) and first baseman Luke Cantwell went in the 20th round (610th overall)

Reed went 5-4 with an 5.01 ERA as a junior last season. He struck out 67 in 73⅔ innings. Reed is the eighth Pitt pitcher drafted since coach Mike Bell arrived in 2019.

Cantwell slashed .320/.482/.510 last season with six homers, 45 RBIs and a team-leading 55 walks. He hit a two-run homer to break an 11-11 tie in an ACC Tournament win over Louisville in May.

“We are extremely excited for Ryan, Luke and their families as they start their professional journeys,” Bell said in a release. “They both left memorable moments and a legacy to be proud of here at the University of Pittsburgh.”

Penn State, meanwhile, had a program-record five players selected in the draft.

Junior outfielder Paxton Kling went to the Texas Rangers in the seventh round (205th) and junior shortstop Ryan Weingartner was picked by the St. Louis Cardinals in the eighth round (240th).

Junior pitcher Ryan DeSanto was chosen by the Cleveland Guardians in the 12th round (372nd), redshirt junior pitcher Chase Renner went to the Miami Marlins in the 13th round (378th) and redshirt sophomore third baseman Bryce Molinaro was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 17th round (501st).

Kling slashed .358/.468/.632 with 13 home runs and 54 RBIs. Weingartner went .250/.384/,469 with 11 homers and 40 RBIs.

DeSanto was 8-2 with a 3.96 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings in 15 starts, Renner was 0-0 with a 2.91 ERA in 17 relief appearances and Molinaro slashed .267/.373/.502 with 13 homers and 61 RBIs.