Danner, Seabold among local MLB signees

Huntington Beach High product Hagen Danner and Newport Harbor alum Connor Seabold highlight local MLB draftees who have signed recently with their respective baseball teams.

Danner, a second-round pick (No. 61 overall) of the Toronto Blue Jays, signed for a reported $1.5 million on Sunday. Drafted as a catcher, his minor-league assignment has yet to be determined.

Seabold, a junior pitcher who helped Cal State Fullerton reach the College World Series, signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for a reported $525,000. His minor-league destination has also not yet been made.

Costa Mesa resident Blake Hunt, a recent Mater Dei graduate, signed for $1.6 million, nearly double his slot value, with the San Diego Padres. Chosen No. 69 overall, Hunt made his professional debut on Sunday with the Padres’ rookie Arizona League affiliate.

Hunt, a catcher, got his first hit Monday, going one for three with a double and an RBI. He also scored a run.

Former UC Irvine pitcher Calvin Faucher, a 10^th-round pick, signed with the Minnesota Twins last week and earned a victory in his professional debut on Saturday for the Elizabethton (Tenn.) Twins of the rookie Appalachian League.

Faucher struck out the side in a scoreless ninth inning against the Danville Braves.

Former UCI shortstop Mikey Duarte, a 23^rd-round pick of the Chicago White Sox, went one for five in his debut with the Great Falls (Mont.) Voyagers of the rookie Pioneer League. He had one RBI in two games through Monday.

Laguna Beach High product Preston Grand Pre, selected in the 24^th round by the Dodgers, made his debut on Saturday for the team’s rookie affiliate in the Arizona League. In the former Cal shortstop’s second game on Monday, he went two for four with a double and a stolen base.

These locals join a list of previous signees that include UCI commit and No. 1 overall pick Royce Lewis (Twins), former UCI All-American Keston Hiura (the No. 9 overall pick by the Milwaukee Brewers), Huntington Beach High product Nick Pratto (chosen No. 14 by the Kansas City Royals), former Fountain Valley High standout Brock Lundquist (a sixth-round pick of the Blue Jays), former OCC first baseman Eric Wagaman (taken in the 13^th round by the New York Yankees), former Vanguard standout Brandon Sandoval (27^th round, Angels), and UCI product Alex Guenette (a free-agent, Brewers).

Still unsigned are Fountain Valley High and Golden West College product Dillon Persinger (18^th round, Cleveland Indians), UCI junior pitcher Cameron Bishop (26^th round, Baltimore Orioles), and UCI commit and pitcher Trenton Denholm (26^th round, Boston Red Sox).

[email protected]

Twitter: @BarryFaulkner5