SEATTLE, Wash. — The Washington Nationals have drafted Lamar University senior catcher Ryan Snell in the seventh round of the 2023 MLB Amateur Player Draft.
Snell was taken with the 195th overall pick.
A 2023 first-team ABCA All-Region selection and a third-team All-American, Snell becomes the 89th Cardinal to be drafted by an MLB franchise, according to a news release from Lamar University.
He is also the first since Jason Blanchard in 2019 by the San Diego Padres in the 9th Round.
The Cardinals have had four players sign free agent deals since 2020 when draft was trimmed from 42 rounds down to 20 following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Snell becomes the third Cardinal selected by the Nationals, joining Ben Cox (2004 – final season of the Montreal Expos, but drafted as Washington Nationals) and Tanner Driskill (2018, ninth round).
He becomes the highest drafted Cardinal since Michael Ambort, another Cardinal catcher that was taken in the sixth round by the San Francisco Giants in 2007, according to the release.
Snell was named Southland Conference Player of the Year, SLC All-Defensive team and was a finalist for the Buster Posey Award which is handed out annually to the nation’s top collegiate catcher.
Snell put together one of the best seasons for a catcher in program history.
He hit .317 with a .412 on-base percentage and finished second in the league with 17 home runs, which is a mark that missed the school’s single-season record by just one knock.
Snell also ranked among the Southland leaders in doubles (17), RBIs (58), total bases (138), walks (33) and OPS (1.066), according to the release.
He was a one-man rally-killer for opponents ending the year ranked among the national leaders in throwing out attempted base stealers.
He threw out 20-of-34 (.588) would-be base stealers on the season.
For his career, Snell played in 135 games earning 124 starts, posting a .294/.379/.511 slash line with 32 doubles, 22 home runs and 98 RBIs.
He also drew 54 walks during his career and scored 86 runs, according to the release.
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