Dan Nunan selected by Angels in MLB Draft

By TOM WILLIAMS

Ocean City High School senior Dan Nunan made history today.

The Los Angeles Angels selected Nunan on the 12^th round of the draft, the 361^st player selected.

He became the earliest OCHS baseball player to be selected in the MLB Draft. Kolya Stephenson, whose father worked for the Phillies, was the final pick of the 2011 draft, the 1,530th player selected that year.

“I’m just really excited,” Nunan said. “My heart is racing. It’s as new to me as it is to everyone else.”

Nunan worked out for the Angels recently in Georgia.

“That went really well,” he said. “They seemed interested but you never know what will happen.”

Nunan has committed to accepting a baseball scholarship to the University of Delaware and now must decide between college baseball and the minor leagues.

“I’m not sure what I’m going to do. I’ll talk it over with my family and others. I’ve got two great options to consider. We haven’t really talked to the Angels very much about details so we have to sit down and do that.”

Nunan, who celebrated his 18th birthday two weeks ago, was 5-0 this season for Andrew Bristol’s Raiders with a 1.49 earned run average. The 6-foot-6 left-hander struck out 74 in 37 innings. He first got the idea that he could be drafted this year at a tryout last summer.

“It was right after I committed to Delaware,” he said. “It was run by all the pro scouts. I did pretty well there and that’s when I made it my goal to be drafted this year and make it to the MLB.”

He becomes the third Cape-Atlantic League player in the last nine years to be drafted by the Angels, joining Millville’s Mike Trout and Joe Gatto of St. Augustine Prep.

“To inherit a program with Dan Nunan as your ace makes the job a lot easier,” said Andrew Bristol, Ocean City’s longtime assistant who became head coach this year. “He is a true teammate who cares more about winning than anything. The entire team couldn’t be more happy or excited for him.

“Danny continues the long line of great pitchers at Ocean City. No one works harder and he deserves everything that will continue to come his way. We are so honored and excited for him as he begins the next chapter in his career.”

Which ever option he decides to take, Dan Nunan made history today.