Jayden Stroman was one of the most highly touted recruits in the country, but ultimately he went undrafted and will head to college.
The MLB draft last week saw a number of high schoolers drafted into pro ball, including a number form Suffolk County, including a first round pick. But Stroman, who has a claim to be the best player on Long Island went undrafted and it left many wondering why.
The answer is as simple as it can get, and that is his commitment to play in college swayed major league teams away from him and his signability. We often see young high school arms get drafted, only to choose the college route and then the team who drafted those arm lost that slotted pick.
Stroman was adamant about playing for Virginia. He was originally committed to Duke but when the coach left for Virginia, Stroman followed. That signaled to many in the industry that the talented athlete wanted to go to college, rather than jump right into pro ball.
Stroman, a member of the Patchogue-Medford High School baseball and indoor track and field teams, was named the male recipient of the 2025 Butch Dellecave Award in recognition of his outstanding accomplishments this year. The award not only highlights his on the field contributions but also his leadership, character, and dedication.
Stroman also won the coveted Carl Yastrzemski Award, presented by the Suffolk County Baseball Coaches Association to Suffolk’s most outstanding player.
There is no doubt that Stroman will enter the draft again, and he will likely raise his stock as he takes on some ACC competition.