SEATTLE, Wash. — Four Arizona Baseball standouts heard their names called on the second day of the 2023 MLB Draft on Monday.
Nichols, a California native, made 50 appearances with 33 starts across three years in an Arizona uniform. During his three-year career he helped the Wildcats make three consecutive NCAA Tournaments, including a run to the 2021 College World Series. The hard-throwing right-hander struck out 202 batters in 206.1 innings of work and limited opposing hitters to a .267 batting average. Nichols opened his junior year in 2023 with an outstanding performance on national television against then No. 2 Tennessee, posting six three-run, one-run innings to earn the win and pick up Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors. He excelled in the classroom as well, picking up a pair of Pac-12 Honor Roll selections and a spot on the 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District roster. Nichols finished his collegiate career with a winning record of 15-12 and earned one save.
Romero, a Tucson product, logged one year with the Wildcats and posted one of the most prolific slugging seasons in program history en route to earning All-America honors. The slugging first baseman set the Arizona single-season RBI record with 89 and tied for the Pac-12 lead with 21 home runs. Romero’s .724 slugging percentage, 168 total bases, and 42 extra-base hits also ranked among the Top 10 single-season marks in Arizona history. His glove at first base was also a major contributor to the Wildcats success in 2023, posting a remarkable .995 fielding percentage on a team-leading 557 total chances. Romero finished the year with a pair of Second Team All-America selections and earned Pac-12 All-Conference honors.
Barraza, another Tucson native, registered two seasons in Tucson and made 49 appearances for the Wildcats. In over 50 innings of work he posted a remarkable 7-2 record with one save and a 5.91 ERA while striking out 62 batters. The right-hander limited opposing hitters to a .270 batting average and allowed only four home runs in two seasons. Barraza’s five wins as a senior in 2023 were tied for second most on the team.
McClaughry, the 2023 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, earned his professional opportunity following a remarkable three-year career in Tucson that included three NCAA Tournament appearances and a…
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