Bishop Gorman’s Austin Wells among Las Vegas players chosen in MLB Draft

By Justin Emerson Las Vegas Review-Journal

6 years ago

Bishop Gorman senior Austin Wells dives for a ball during practice on Monday, April 16, 2018, at Bishop Gorman High School, in Las Vegas. Wells has committed to play baseball at the University of Arizona next year. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto

Brothers Austin, left, and Carson Wells are standout baseball players at Bishop Gorman High School. Senior catcher/DH Austin Wells has committed to play baseball at the University of Arizona next year, and sophomore center fielder Carson Wells is already fielding division one offers. Photo taken on Monday, April 16, 2018, at Bishop Gorman High School, in Las Vegas. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto

Desert Oasis senior Nolan Kingham, center, celebrates with teammates Dominic Paratore, left, and Chris Van Kuren after hitting a home run during a baseball game against Green Valley at Desert Oasis Saturday, April 11, 2015, in Las Vegas. Desert Oasis won 10-1. (Ronda Churchill/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Boulder City senior Tanner Howell pitches against Chaparral on Friday during the host Eagles 5-1 win in a Division I-A Sunrise Region game. Howell, a Dixie State signee, threw a four-hitter with three walks and 11 strikeouts, and the Cowboys run was unearned.

College of Southern Nevada sophomore pitcher Ryan McDonald (32) throws a pitch during the first inning of a game against Yavapai College at Morse Stadium on CSN’s Henderson campus on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018. Patrick Connolly Las Vegas Review-Journal @PConnPie

UNLV’S pitcher Trevor Horn (34) pitches against Air Force during the third inning at the Earl Wilson Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 15, 2018. Andrea Cornejo Las Vegas Review-Journal @dreacornejo

Bishop Gorman’s Austin Wells prevented Nevada from being shut out.

Wells was the only Nevada high school player taken in the MLB Draft, going to the New York Yankees in the 35th round, 1,057th overall, Wednesday. A Nevada prep player has been chosen every year since 1985.

The senior batted .527 with 20 doubles, six triples and four home runs this past season, during which he was the Gaels’ designated hitter. He scored 46 runs and knocked in 46 and drew 34 walks to 17 strikeouts.

Wells was drafted as a catcher, but he played the position only one inning in his final two seasons at Gorman. He was ranked No. 160 on MLB.com’s predraft rankings but slid in the draft after reports about an arm injury, as he has not thrown competitively in a year. He has signed with Arizona, where his father, Greg, played, and still plans to play at the university.

Wells was the 2016-17 Gatorade Nevada Baseball Player of the Year and was selected to the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game last summer.

Former Desert Oasis and current Texas pitcher Nolan Kingham was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 12th round, 352nd overall.

UNLV teammates Nick Ames (Detroit Tigers), Nick Rodriguez (Seattle Mariners), Bryan Menendez (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Trevor Horn (San Francisco Giants) were selected Wednesday. Ames went in the 15th round, 435th overall. Rodriguez went in the 22nd round, 658th overall. Menendez went 729th overall in the 24th round, and Horn went in the 39th round, 1,156th overall.

Dixie State’s (Utah) Tanner Howell went in the 35th round, 1,054th overall, to the Minnesota Twins. And College of Southern Nevada’s Ryan McDonald was selected by the Giants in the 37th round, 1,096th overall.

More preps: Follow all of our Nevada Preps coverage online at nevadapreps.com and @NevadaPreps on Twitter.

Contact Justin Emerson at jemerson@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2944. Follow @J15Emerson on Twitter.