Four Wildcats Selected on Second Day of MLB Draft

SEATTLE, Wash. — Four Arizona Baseball standouts heard their names called on the second day of the 2023 MLB Draft on Monday.

RHP TJ Nichols, 6th Round (183 overall), Tampa Bay Rays
1B Kiko Romero, 7th Round (222 overall), New York Yankees
RHP Chris Barraza, 10th Round (294 overall), Los Angeles Angels
SS Nik McClaughry, 10th Round (311 overall), San Diego Padres

Nichols, a California native, made 50 appearances with 33 starts across three years in an Arizona uniform. During his three-year career he helped the Wildcats make three consecutive NCAA Tournaments, including a run to the 2021 College World Series. The hard-throwing right-hander struck out 202 batters in 206.1 innings of work and limited opposing hitters to a .267 batting average. Nichols opened his junior year in 2023 with an outstanding performance on national television against then No. 2 Tennessee, posting six three-run, one-run innings to earn the win and pick up Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors. He excelled in the classroom as well, picking up a pair of Pac-12 Honor Roll selections and a spot on the 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District roster. Nichols finished his collegiate career with a winning record of 15-12 and earned one save.

Romero, a Tucson product, logged one year with the Wildcats and posted one of the most prolific slugging seasons in program history en route to earning All-America honors. The slugging first baseman set the Arizona single-season RBI record with 89 and tied for the Pac-12 lead with 21 home runs. Romero's .724 slugging percentage, 168 total bases, and 42 extra-base hits also ranked among the Top 10 single-season marks in Arizona history. His glove at first base was also a major contributor to the Wildcats success in 2023, posting a remarkable .995 fielding percentage on a team-leading 557 total chances. Romero finished the year with a pair of Second Team All-America selections and earned Pac-12 All-Conference honors.

Barraza, another Tucson native, registered two seasons in Tucson and made 49 appearances for the Wildcats. In over 50 innings of work he posted a remarkable 7-2 record with one save and a 5.91 ERA while striking out 62 batters. The right-hander limited opposing hitters to a .270 batting average and allowed only four home runs in two seasons. Barraza's five wins as a senior in 2023 were tied for second most on the team.

McClaughry, the 2023 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, earned his professional opportunity following a remarkable three-year career in Tucson that included three NCAA Tournament appearances and a run to the 2021 College World Series. The California native saw time in 177 games with 165 starts in the cardinal and navy and posted a career .299 batting average; he also tallied 165 runs scored, 34 doubles, 10 triples, eight home runs, and 95 RBI. McClaughry's glove wowed fans and opponents alike and was fundamental to the Wildcats success; the Rawlings Gold Glove finalist also earned a spot on the Pac-12 All-Conference and All-Defensive Team rosters as a senior.

The 2023 MLB Draft continues with rounds 11-20 on Tuesday beginning at 11:00 a.m. MST. Complete coverage can be found on MLB.com.

Players Mentioned

Chris Barraza

Nik McClaughry

TJ Nichols

Kiko Romero

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