All four 2025 HBCU MLB draft picks have signed professional contracts.
Kameron Douglas, a 20th round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers, signed his professional contract on July 20th.
Broedy Poppell, a 13th round draft pick of the San Francisco Giants, signed his professional contract on July 22nd.
Juan Cruz, a 20th round draft pick of the Washington Nationals, signed his professional contract on July 23rd.
Cardell Thibodeaux, a 16th round draft pick of the San Diego Padres, signed his professional contract on July 24th.
Kameron Douglas
Cardell Thibodeaux
Four members of Black College Nines’ 2025 Large School First-Team “Elites”, including its Player of the Year, have been selected in the recently completed Major League Draft.
Broedy Poppell
The first one selected in the 2025 draft was BCN’s elite catcher, Broedy Poppell of Florida A&M University. Poppell was taken in the 13th round (the 386th player picked) by the San Francisco Giants. He becomes the first Rattler selected since Aubrey McCarty was taken in the 26th round of the 2017 draft by the Colorado Rockies. This past season, Poppell hit .325 in 58 games while collecting seven doubles, nine triples and 12 homeruns in addition to 53 rbi.
Coardell Thibodeaux
The second Black College Nines’ Elite selected was the BCN Player of the Year, outfielder Cardell Thibodeaux of Southern University. Thibodeaux was selected in round 16 (the 490th player picked) by the San Diego Padres. Prior to his selection, the last Jaguar to be drafted was Javeyan Williams in 2019 by the San Francisco Giants in the 22nd round. This past season, Thibodeaux hit .439 in 49 games while collecting 13 doubles, five triples and 18 homeruns in addition to 71 rbi.
Juan Cruz
The third Black College Nines’ Elite selected was first baseman Juan Cruz of Alabama State University. Cruz was selected in the 20th round (the 591st player selected) by the Washington Nationals. Previously, the last Hornet selected was Randy Flores who was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 8th round of the 2024 MLB Draft . This past season, Cruz hit .420 in 60 games while collecting 23 doubles, two triples and 14 homeruns in addition to 73 rbi.
Kameron Douglas
The final Black College Nines’ Elite selected was another Alabama State University Hornet, outfielder Kameron Douglas who, like teammate Juan Cruz, was also selected in the 20th round (the 609th player selected). Douglas, who also pitches, was selected by the Detroit Tigers. This past season, Douglas hit .335 in 59 games while collecting 16 doubles, two triples and 17 homeruns in addition to 65 rbi.
Best of luck to these four Black College Nines Elites!