Monday is big for area players in MLB Draft

Several of the region's top baseball prospects saw their dreams come true Monday after being selected in the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft. Five players with local ties were selected Monday: Caden Hunter, Baltimore Orioles: The first local to receive a call was USC pitcher Caden Hunter, who was selected in the sixth round (184th overall). Hunter was a standout at Granite Bay High School and Sierra College. At Sierra, Hunter earned Big 8 Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2023, amassing 108 strikeouts. He made an immediate impact at USC, ranking sixth in the Big Ten with 79 strikeouts over 70 1/3 innings. Trevor Haskins, St. Louis Cardinals: Haskins was one of the most sought-after recruits in the country in 2021 out of Valley Christian in San Jose. He was selected in the 15th round (450th overall). Before arriving at Stanford, Haskins got his first taste of college baseball at McBean Stadium as a member of the Lincoln Potters in 2021. That summer, Haskins hit .302 with four home runs, 15 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 31 games. He earned a spot in the California Collegiate League Showcase game and helped lead the Potters to a playoff appearance. JP Smith II, Minnesota Twins: Smith helped lead Granite Bay High School to a Sac-Joaquin Section championship in 2022 before going on to play at Sacramento State for three years. He was selected in the 17th round (509th overall). Smith was a two-way standout at Granite Bay, earning All-Sierra Foothill League honors in his junior and senior seasons. As a senior, he had a .336 average, 28 RBI and a team-best 10 doubles. With Sacramento State this season, he had a team-high 52 RBIs and was second with 12 home runs. Braeden Sloan, Baltimore Orioles: The Woodcreek High School alum was selected in the 17th round (514th overall). Sloan was one of the top pitchers in the state with the Timberwolves and was rated as the No. 3 left-handed pitcher in the state by Perfect Game in 2022. Sloan went to TCU as a starter but transitioned to the bullpen in three years with the Horned Frogs. This season, he made 17 appearances and ranked third on the team with 58 2/3 innings pitched and finished second with 76 strikeouts while limiting opponents to a .203 batting average and posting a 4.14 ERA, a 3-4 record and three saves. Chase Bentley, Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers selected Bentley 575th overall in the 19th round, making him the third Granite Bay product picked in the draft. Bentley, a Texas A&M commit, was a three-year varsity starter at Granite Bay before playing his senior year at IMG Academy in Florida. Bentley was 10-0 this season with a 0.94 ERA and 62 strikeouts against five walks. He didn't allow more than two runs in any appearance this season and had three starts in which he didn't surrender any runs. Anson Aroz, Los Angeles Dodgers: Aroz, playing for Oregon, was the final pick of the 19th round (585th overall). Aroz graduated from Placer in 2021 and was ranked as the No. 9 catching prospect in the country by Prep Baseball report. As a senior, he batted .515 with a home run, seven doubles, two triples and 16 RBIs. He started all 57 games at Oregon this season, hitting 17 home runs and driving in 53 runs. Aroz also spent the last part of his summer with the Lincoln Potters in 2024, batting .273 with three hits and an RBI in four games.