TRENTON, N.J. — LIU baseball standout
EJ Exposito is making a name for himself in the MLB Draft League as his professional career potentially looms.
Exposito is hitting .313 (15-for-48) with two homers and nine RBIs through 18 games with the Trenton Thunder while manning both middle infield positions.
The six-team MLB Draft League is a collegiate summer baseball league that launched in 2021, after consolidation in minor league baseball. Its mission is to showcase premium draft-eligible prospects.
The three-day MLB draft begins Sunday.
"The competition here has been unbelievable," said the 6-foot, 195-pound Exposito, an All-Northeast Conference second-team selection this past season with the Sharks. "You've got guys from all over the country from different schools playing here. It's definitely nice to see better competition, especially with me always wanting to challenge myself.
"Every game there are MLB scouts, so I'm getting an opportunity every day to show what I've got to high-level guys. I'm very optimistic about having a legitimate chance at the draft."
Exposito and NEC Pitcher of the Year
Joshua Loeschorn both are draft candidates who had standout seasons for the Sharks this past spring — although with the draft being 20 rounds, half its one-time size, post-draft free-agent signings remain possible as well.
Nick DeSalvo, currently playing this summer with the New Jersey Jackals, is another post-draft signing candidate.
Exposito played every inning at shortstop and started every game in the No. 3 hole for LIU en route to NEC regular-season and postseason titles and an NCAA Regional berth in 2022. His 13 homers tied for third in a single season in program history.
The Thunder, Exposito's home this summer, formerly served as the Yankees' Double-A affiliate. And that has not been lost on Exposito.
"A lot of memories have already been made, but a big one was my first day walking into the clubhouse at Trenton Thunder Stadium," he said. "Since they used to be the Yankees' affiliate, they have all the players' jerseys hanging up. Seeing Derek Jeter, A-Rod and Aaron Judge's jerseys hanging up was a surreal moment."
