Multiple Long Island natives had their names called during Major League Baseball’s first-year player draft.
The first day of the draft saw 74 players find new homes across two rounds.
The Detroit Tigers made the first local selection, taking Michael Oliveto, a senior at Happaugue High School. He was selected as the 34th pick.
The catcher was committed to Yale and was projected to go 52nd overall in ESPN’s final mock draft.
Happaugue’s varsity baseball team’s Instagram account posted a picture of Oliveto in a Tigers jersey with the caption, “The English D looks good on you.”
MLB.com’s scouting says Oliveto has the potential to be a major league hitter someday.
“Those who like Oliveto see a future backstop who checks off the big left-handed-hitting catcher box,” the report states. “He’s shown that he can find the barrel with a solid left-handed swing geared toward power. It’s at least above-average raw power that some think he’ll get to in the future, especially if he can become an average hitter.”
Cody Miller was the first Long Island native taken during Day 2 of the draft, as the Rocky Point High School graduate was selected with the 96th pick by the Atlanta Braves.
Miller was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but went to high school in Suffolk. The shortstop attended East Tennessee State University, where he most recently hit 18 home runs, drove in 58 runs and stole 27 bases in 58 games during his junior season.
The Arizona Diamondbacks took Joe Ariola in the seventh round out of Wake Forest University. The Malverne native attended Chaminade High School and has spent the last three seasons pitching for the Demon Deacons as a reliever.
MLB.com’s scouting report says that Ariola’s fastball and curveball have the potential to be plus pitches, but he has had control issues in the past. The lefty gave up 28 walks in just 24.1 innings pitched this past season.
“He’s athletic but struggles to repeat a delivery that includes a long arm action,” the scouting report says.
The Seattle Mariners selected Danny Macchiaraola in the eighth round of the draft. The right-handed pitcher is from Garden City and he attended Xavier High School in Manhattan.
Macchiaraola has spent the last three seasons playing at the College of Holy Cross. During the 2025 season, he made 16 starts, going 9-5 with a 3.65 ERA and striking out 92 batters.
Macchiaraola had announced in early July that he was transferring to the University of Miami, but Newsday reported that he intends to sign with the Mariners and join the team’s minor league system. The slot value associated with the 242nd pick is estimated at $224,100, according to MLB.com.
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected a New Jersey native in the 11th round of the draft, but Dylan Palmer is one of Hofstra University’s best players in program history.
The second baseman was a three-time All-CAA selection and a 2024 ABCA All-Northeast Region pick during his four years at Hofstra.
For his career, Palmer holds the school record with 12 triples, has the second-most stolen bases (82), the third-most hits (247), fourth-best batting average (.386) and seventh-most runs (141) in program history.
The Kansas City Royals selected Randy Ramnarace 488th overall in the 16th round of the draft. The Brentwood native has pitched at the University of New Haven for the past three years. In 2025, he went 2-1 with a 2.51 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 32.1 innings pitched.
The Pirates took Nick Frusco in the 20th and final round of the draft. The high school lefty was named a Newsday All-Long Island first-team as a senior for Miller Place High School.
Frusco is committed to the University of Clemson after he struck out 73 batters and had a 0.61 ERA in 34.2 innings this past year.
“If you like projectable lefties, then Frusco might be the prospect for you. At 6-foot-4 and 208 pounds, it’s easy to dream on more physicality and a lot more velocity,” MLB.com said in its scouting report of Frusco.
Teams have until July 28 to sign their drafted players.
