Rocklin grad McClaughry drafted by Padres in 10th round, multiple players with local ties drafted

Nik McClaughry sat in his parents' Rocklin house waiting anxiously for one of the most important phone calls of his life. The University of Arizona shortstop was in contact with several Major League Baseball teams, but as each was on the clock in the 2023 MLB Draft on Monday, his phone remained silent. "There were a lot of teams that had me on the board and thought they might pick me, but it all fell through so I was just trying not to get my hopes up too much," McClaughry said. Finally, the Rocklin High School graduate received the call he was waiting for when a representative from the San Diego Padres informed McClaughry the team would be taking him with their 10th-round pick. "It was a really cool moment for sure," McClaughry said. "I talked to the Padres a little bit before the draft started but not in the week leading up. I knew it was a possibility, but it wasn't one of those teams that I was really talking to right before the draft." While McClaughry wasn't necessarily expecting the Padres to pick him, he was happy with their decision and feels it puts him in a position needed to succeed. "It's a really good organization in general, and they develop players really well, which is what I wanted," McClaughry said. "They also have a lot of talent in the big leagues right now. So you know that that's a possibility of getting there eventually, because they've developed big leaguers before." McClaughry earned a first-team All-Sierra Foothill League honor in his senior year at Rocklin before attending Sacramento City College from 2018-20, where he shined at shortstop. He earned a gold glove for the Big 8 Conference. McClaughry then joined Arizona and made an impact right away, appearing in 55 games and making 43 starts in 2021. He started all eight games of the 2021 postseason, earning an NCAA Tucson All-Regional honor, and had two hits in the College World Series. McClaughry especially shined this season, earning the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award and was an ABCA and Rawlings Gold Glove finalist. He was also named to the Pac-12 All-Conference Team and helped lead the Wildcats to a Pac-12 championship game appearance. In the coming days, McClaughry will receive his information of when and where to report once he signs his contract and begins his baseball career. He said he is going to sign no matter what the offer is and spoke on the type of player the Padres will be getting with him. "I'm a grinder. I'm a guy that's gonna play hard every day and give them everything I got," McClaughry said, noting he will play any position is asked of him. "I'm a guy that gets on base a lot. I may not have a lot of power, but I'll be a team player that hopefully can help the team win no matter what." McClaughry wasn't the only area player to be drafted. In the third round, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected Garret Forrester out of Oregon State, who was in the middle of his second season with the Lincoln Potters. Forrester was one of the top hitters in the Pac-12 and earned a first-team all-conference honor. Pittsburgh also selected Peyton Stumbo in the 20th round, another Lincoln Potter who was a standout at Placer High School and Nevada as a right-handed pitcher. Stumbo emerged as an ace for the Potters in summer ball, striking out 30 in 23 2/3 innings. Oakmont High School graduates T.J. Nichols of Arizona and Kai Peterson of Sierra College were drafted. Nichols was selected in the sixth round by the Tampa Bay Rays and Peterson went in the 20th round to the Toronto Blue Jays. Multiple former Potters were picked up as well in Ryan Bruno (Arizona Diamondbacks), Eddie Park (Chicago White Sox), Zach Arnold (Philadelphia Phillies) and Rio Britton (Arizona Diamonbacks).