MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State right-handed pitchers Tyson Neighbors (4th round) and Jackson Wentworth (5th round) along with second baseman Brady Day were each selected on the second day of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft Monday.
Neighbors was selected by the San Diego Padres with the 118th overall pick while Wentworth was drafted 158th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays and Day was chosen by the Philadelphia Phillies with the 312th overall pick.
Neighbors' and Wentworth's selections, along with Kaelen Culpepper being taken in the first round, marks the first time in history K-State had three players taken in the first five rounds. K-State's four picks in the first 10 rounds ties the program record set in 2011.
Day becomes the second Wildcat to be selected by Philadelphia and first since 2008, while Neighbors is the second player from K-State taken by San Diego and first since 1997. With Wentworth's selection, Toronto has now picked up three players from K-State, that includes Nick Goodwin in the seventh round (No. 214 overall) in the 2023 MLB Draft.
Head coach Pete Hughes has now tutored 88 draftees in his 27-year head coaching career, including eight first rounders. In total, Hughes has recruited 142 players who have joined the professional ranks.
A two-time All-Big 12 pick, Neighbors made 22 relief appearances for the Cats in 2024 and led the bullpen with nine saves. He went 1-2 on the hill and struck out 61 hitters while walking 19 over 38 2/3 innings pitched.
In 2023, the Royse City, Texas native was voted a finalist for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award. He became the second Wildcat in school history to earn consensus All-American status and is the only player to garner seven All-America accolades.
In three seasons at K-State, Neighbors appeared in 56 games with a 7-3 record and a 3.01 ERA. He totaled 160 career strikeouts over 95 2/3 innings pitched while opponents hit .180 against him. He finished third all-time in K-State history with 20 career saves, while his nine this season tied sixth in the single-season records.
There he goes! Congrats @tyson_neighbors! #KStateBSB x #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/oKb3V7nuJx
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) July 15, 2024See AlsoKansas Form K 4 ≡ Fill Out Printable PDF Forms OnlineKansas Department of Revenue - Kansas Withholding Form K-4Kansas Form K-4 (Employees Withholding Allowance Certificate)Guide to Kansas Withholding Tax (KW-100)
Wentworth had a standout redshirt-sophom*ore campaign where he struck out 115 hitters, which is the second-most in program history, and ranked fourth in the Big 12 this season. He earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention recognition and was named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List before he took on a weekend starter roll.
A native of Urbandale, Iowa, Wentworth picked up Big 12 Pitcher of the Week accolades following his monumental effort where he combined for nine innings of three-hit, one run ball in three appearances. He closed out K-State's ninth no-hitter in program history, logging two scoreless innings in a 4-0 victory over Cincinnati on March 8.
In two seasons with the Wildcats, Wentworth compiled a 6-10 record with a 5.45 ERA and 142 strikeouts in 38 appearances and 16 starts. In 2024, Wentworth made eight weekend starts and 20 relief appearances, with a 5-6 record while turning in a pair of quality starts.
Next stop for @jacksonwentwor3 —> @BlueJays! #KStateBSB x #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/G60AXJXDWt
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) July 15, 2024See AlsoKansas Secretary of State | Publications | Session Laws of Kansas | 2024 Session Laws of Kansas
An All-Big 12 First Team honoree, Day improved his draft status from a year ago where he was picked in the 12th round (No. 369 overall) by the Atlanta Braves, as he finished second in seven offensive categories for K-State – average (.318), slugging percentage (.513), on-base percentage (.426), hits (75), runs batted in (56), walks (44) and total bases (121).
Day's .311 average in Big 12 contests led the Wildcats' offense, while his 56 RBI was eighth overall in the league. The Hampstead, N.H., product turned in a team-leading 18 multi-RBI efforts along with 23 games with multiple two or more hits, while he also became the first player since 2022 to produce a 15-game hitting streak (18).
The Golden Spikes Midseason Watch List selection garnered Big 12 Player of the Week honors on March 4 after he generated a team-high eight hits (.667), including his 4-for-4, five RBI performance in the Cats series opener against UMass Lowell.
Oh what a Day!@BradyDay007 is headed to the @Phillies!#KStateBSB x #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/6hUBS3uwLW
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) July 15, 2024
The 2024 MLB Draft continues on Tuesday at 1 p.m. CT with rounds 11-20 and can be seen on MLB.com.
How to follow the 'Cats: Stay up to date on K-State baseball online at www.kstatesports.com and on the team's social media channels on Facebook, X formally known as Twitter and Instagram.
Wildcats in the 2024 MLB Draft
| Player | Round | Pick | Team |
| Kaelen Culpepper, SS | 1 | 21 | Minnesota Twins |
| Tyson Neighbors, RHP | 4 | 118 | San Diego Padres |
| Jackson Wentworth, RHP | 5 | 158 | Toronto Blue Jays |
| Brady Day, 2B | 10 | 312 | Philadelphia Phillies |
