Haverhill, MA (July 15, 2024) – Northern Essex Community College sophomore right-hander Jayden Voelker (Coventry, RI) has been drafted in the 8th round of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft. The Tampa Bay Rays selected Voelker as the 246th overall pick in the draft taking place at the Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas.

Jayden Voelker drafted in the 8th round by the Tampa Bay Rays

Voelker becomes the first MLB Draft pick out of Northern Essex since Spencer Brown was drafted in the 39th round in the 2019 draft by the Los Angeles Angels. Steve Bedrosian ’77, also went on to play major league baseball after Northern Essex and won the National League Cy Young Award in 1987.

Players in the 2024 draft were selected from four-year public and private colleges, high schools, and international programs but Voelker is one of just four selected in the first ten rounds from an American community college.

Voelker had a dominating 2024 for the Knights on the mound this season. Last month he was named an NJCAA First Team All-American and NJCAA National Pitcher of the Year, while also being named the NJCAA Region 21 Pitcher of the Year following the conclusion of the regular season.

Throughout the season Voelker subdued the opposition as he led the nation with 18.59 strikeouts per nine innings pitched as he struck out a Northern Essex modern era record of 126 batters on the season in 61 innings pitched. The 126 strikeouts also led the nation.

He also finished second in earned run average with 1.48 while picking up eight wins on the season. Over the course of the season, he was named the NJCAA Pitcher of the Week on three occasions.