Three Michigan State baseball players selected in 2023 MLB Draft
Michigan State baseball infielder Mitch Jebb made history on Sunday night when he was selected No. 42 overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft. Jebb became the highest Spartan draft pick since left-handed pitcher Mark Mulder was taken No. 2 overall by the Oakland Athletics in the 1998 MLB Draft, 25 years ago.
The junior earned Third Team All-Big Ten honors for the second-straight season in 2023. Jebb hit for a .337 average with 68 hits, 36 RBI and one home run. The shortstop finished the season with 60 put-outs, 118 assists and just nine errors, tallying a .952 fielding percentage.
Former Michigan State pitcher Cam Vieaux was the last Spartan selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates when he was drafted in the sixth round of the 2016 MLB Draft. 2019 Michigan State football signee Jace Bowen was taken in the eleventh round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Pirates. The wide receiver-turned-second baseman elected to play baseball and did not suit up for the Spartan football team.
The Spartans made even more history when first baseman Brock Vrandenberg was selected in the third round by the Miami Marlins. Jebb and Vradenberg are the first two Spartans to be selected in the first three rounds of the same draft since 1969. Former Michigan State outfielder Rick Miller and catcher Harry Kendrick were both taken in the second round that year.
Michigan State All-American linebacker Brad Van Pelt – who also played baseball for the Spartans – and pitcher Larry Ike were selected No. 7 and No. 8, respectively, in the 1973 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase.
Vradenberg finished the season with 13 home runs and 69 RBI. The Pasadena, Calif., native’s .400 batting average ranked second in the Big Ten and No. 24 in the country.
The junior first baseman committed only six errors in 55 games, ending the year with a .986 fielding percentage.
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Vradenberg earned Third Team All-American honors and was voted First Team All-Big Ten by the conference’s head coaches.
Michigan State catcher Bryan Broecker was the third Spartan selected in the draft. The Chicago native was drafted in the 13th round by the Tampa Bay Rays.
The trio of Jebb, Vradenberg and Broecker marks the first time Michigan State has had three players taken in the same draft since 2019.
Broecker earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors in 2023, leading the conference with 20 pickoffs. The redshirt sophomore finished with a .318 batting average, knocking in 36 runs and hitting eight home runs.
The Spartans have now had 37 MLB Draft picks since head coach Jake Boss, Jr. took over in 2009. Jebb’ second-round selection marks the highest draft pick of Boss’ tenure. Vradenburg’s selection in the third-round in the second-highest selection.
