Knights

Artwork: Aaron Froio/Nashua Silver Knights

Major League Baseball’s middle of the season marks two events every year: The MLB All-Star Game and the MLB First Year Player Draft. While the league’s current stars tear it up in Los Angeles, young players across the country await their name being called to hopefully begin an all-star career of their own. For the Silver Knights and the FCBL, their alumni have been no stranger to the draft with five former Nashua players being taken amongst a handful of drafted former FCBL players.

Round 4, Pick 134, Tampa Bay Rays: Dominic Keegan

Vanderbilt’s Dominic Keegan was the first Silver Knight off the board in the 2022 MLB Draft. Speculation across mock drafts and big boards had Keegan as the first Nashua alumni being selected, falling to the Tampa Bay Rays in the fourth round. Keegan was with the Silver Knights in 2020, helping the Knights in their fifth championship run in franchise history. Methuen, Massachusetts’s latest baseball product hit .317 with 38 RBIs in 2020, leading the Knights in RBIs and HRs. In his four years at Vandy, Keegan added a lot of honors to his resume. In his junior year, Keegan would win Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Nashville regional on his way to a second team All-American selection from Perfect Game. Keegan was selected in the 2021 MLB Draft in the 19th round by the New York Yankees but chose to stay at school for his senior year as he went on to have a First-team All-SEC senior season. Now done with school, this former Silver Knight is ready to shine in the Tampa Bay organization.

Round 4, Pick 135, Los Angeles Dodgers: Nick Biddison

Just one pick after Keegan was taken, 2018 Silver Knight Nick Biddison was selected with back-to-back Knights going in the fourth round. Biddison, coming out of Virginia Tech, was just starting off his collegiate career when on the Knights. At just 17 years old, Biddison was fifth on the team in hits and led the team in walks, showing immense discipline and talent at the plate while being the youngest on the 2018 squad. Biddison would build off his time with Nashua, blossoming into quite the player in his four years as a Hokie with more summer ball stints in between. A successful collegiate career was capped off with a big senior season for Biddison, hitting .351 with a team high 21 stolen bases. Leading the team in hits as well with 88 knocks, Biddison became a pillar of a dangerous VT team who went on to win the ACC regular season championship and a NCAA regional title before getting knocked out in the Super Regionals. With his game improving every year, Biddison looks to now leave his mark in the Dodgers organization.

Round 7, Pick 220, New York Yankees: Cam Schlittler

Later in the draft, Nashua would have their third former Knight taken in Northeastern’s Cam Schlittler. Like Biddison, Schlittler embarked on Historic Holman Stadium very early in his career. At just 18 years old, Schlittler would only get into three games for the Knights in 2019. After his summer in Nashua, the Walpole, Massachusetts native went on to pitch three strong years for the Huskies. In his sophomore season, Schlittler went 8-1 with a stellar 1.88 ERA. Northeastern’s big righty has racked up several honors in his time, including 2022 Preseason Co-Conference Player of the Year and several All-American nods. Before heading back to school for his senior year, Schlittler will have to decide if he will be trading in his red and black colors for pinstripes.

Round 12, Pick 363, Cincinnati Reds: Mason Pelio

Another arm who started his collegiate career in Nashua was taken off the board in Boston College’s Mason Pelio. Pelio was with the Knights in 2018, starting three games in his stint as a 17-year-old. Now at 21, Pelio has had a solid four-year career as an Eagle. Pelio was named to the ACC Freshman Team in his first year with BC, kickstarting his collegiate career as he was a big piece of Boston College’s rotation throughout his tenure. Now selected by a team who needs immense pitching help in Cincinnati, the Reds look to strike gold with the right arm in Pelio.

Round 15, Pick 452, Philadelphia Phillies: Troy Schreffler, Jr.

Nashua’s last Knight taken in the 2022 draft would be another 2020 champion in Maryland’s Troy Schreffler, Jr. Coming off his freshman year as a Terrapin, the 19-year-old Schreffler joined the Silver Knights in their 2020 championship campaign. Schreffler provided a jolt in the Nashua lineup, being second in runs and stolen bases for the Knights. After bringing hardware back to the 603, Schreffler would use his time in Nashua as a steppingstone to get better. In each season for Maryland, the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania kid would improve. His batting average would jump 60 points from his freshman to his sophomore year, before really catching fire with a .340 average in his junior year as he aided Maryland to a Big Ten Conference title. With his senior year in front of him, Schreffler now has the opportunity to head back to his home state and join the Phillies organization.

Five former Silver Knights have joined the long list of former FCBL players drafted to the MLB. With more and more talent walking through the door every season, the only question is: who will be next?