Published On: June 17th, 2022

FOND DU LAC, WI – In the run-up to the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft, held from July 17-19, the MLB Draft Combine got underway on Thursday at Petco Park in San Diego, California. Four different Dock Spiders earned an invitation to the combine, which features 255 high school and college prospects. INF Chandler Simpson (2021), OF Victor Scott (2021), RHP Jake Brooks (2020) and RHP Derek Diamond (2020) were all invited. OF Ryan Lasko (2021) earned an invitation to Team USA’s Collegiate National Team Training Camp.

“It’s so impressive to see the talent that has come through Fond du Lac,” said Dock Spiders manager Zac Charbonneau. “All five are extremely talented and we got to experience that firsthand when they were in Dock Spiders jerseys. This was a stepping stone for them, and they have bright futures ahead.”

The combine is a showcase, where players participate in various events designed to showcase their talents in front of scouts from all 30 MLB organizations.

All four Dock Spiders alumni are ranked in the Baseball America Top-300 draft rankings. Chandler Simpson is the top-ranked former Dock Spider at the event, as he’s named the 90th-best prospect. Victor Scott, Jake Brooks, and Derek Diamond are all ranked within the top-215 players for the 2022 draft. Derek Diamond is currently playing in the Men’s College World Series with Ole Miss, which starts on Friday afternoon.

Lasko was selected as one of the top-50 college baseball players who are not draft eligible to compete for a spot with the Team USA Collegiate National Team. Lasko will compete in five intrasquad games during the Stars vs. Stripes series from June 30-July 4 in Cary, Durham and Charlotte, North Carolina. After the series, Manager Mike Bianco will then select 26 players to compete in the 2022 Honkbalweek Haarlem in the Netherlands against Japan, Italy, Cuba, the Netherlands and Curacao from July 9-15.

In six years, 20 different Dock Spiders have had their name called in the MLB Draft, including six players who were selected in the 2021 draft. Former Dock Spiders outfielder John Rhodes became the highest-ever drafted Dock Spiders alumnus last year, as he was taken by the Baltimore Orioles with the 76th pick of the draft. Former catcher Nick Fortes became the first-ever Dock Spider to reach MLB last September after being picked in the 2018 draft by the Miami Marlins.

The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. Having completed its’ 28th season, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 22 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires, and front office staff, over 280 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including three-time All-Star and 2016 Roberto Clemente Award winner Curtis Granderson, three-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series Champion Max Scherzer (NYM), two-time World Series Champions Ben Zobrist and Brandon Crawford (SFG) and World Series Champion Chris Sale (BOS). As well as 2019 Rookie of the Year and 2019/2021 Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso (NYM) and 2021 All-Star, MLB Gold Glove winner and 2019 Second Team All-MLB shortstop Marcus Semien (TEX). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. League games are viewable live at watchnwl.com. For more information, visit dockspiders.com download the new Northwoods League Mobile App on the Apple App Store or on Google Play and set the Dock Spiders as your favorite team.

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