Las Vegas high schools produce who’s who of MLB standouts
Diamond Dozen
High school baseball teams in Southern Nevada have produced dozens of major league stars and hundreds of draft picks. Here is a sampling of some of the best ones:
Marty Barrett
■ School: Rancho
■ Drafted: Red Sox, first round 1979
■ Position: 2B
■ MLB teams: Red Sox, Padres
■ Accomplishments: ALCS MVP 1986; set MLB record with 24 hits in 14 postseason games in 1986; led American League in sacrifice bunts 1986, ’87 and ’88.
■ Did you know: Barrett scored the winning run in the longest game in professional baseball history in 1981, touching home plate in the bottom of the 33rd inning for the Pawtucket Red Sox against the Rochester Red Wings.
Kris Bryant
■ School: Bonanza
■ Drafted: Cubs, first round (second overall) 2013
■ Position: INF, OF
■ MLB teams: Cubs, Giants, Rockies
■ Accomplishments: NL MVP 2016; NL Rookie of the Year 2015; four-time NL All-Star; 2016 World Series champion.
■ Did you know: In 2018, Sports Illustrated ranked Bryant the third-best player in baseball behind Mike Trout and Jose Altuve.
Chris Carter
■ School: Sierra Vista
■ Drafted: White Sox, 15th round 2005
■ Position: 1B, LF
■ MLB teams: A’s, Astros, Brewers, Yankees
■ Accomplishments: Hit 158 home runs during eight MLB seasons; led NL with 160 games played, 41 home runs, 206 strikeouts in 2016.
■ Did you know: In 2019, Carter signed with Acereros de Monclova, leading the Mexican League in home runs (49) and RBIs (119) as the team won its first league championship.
Marty Cordova
■ School: Bishop Gorman
■ Drafted: Twins, 10th round 1989
■ Position: OF
■ MLB teams: Twins, Blue Jays, Guardians, Orioles
■ Accomplishments: AL Rookie of the Year 1995; batted .274 in nine MLB seasons.
■ Did you know: Cordova and UFC president Dana White are close friends.
Joey Gallo
■ School: Bishop Gorman
■ Drafted: Rangers, first round (39th overall) 2012
■ Position: OF, 1B, 3B
■ MLB teams: Rangers, Yankees
■ Accomplishments: Back-to-back 40-homer seasons 2017 and ’18; led AL in walks (111) and strikeouts (213) 2021; two-time AL All-Star; two-time Gold Glove winner.
■ Did you know: Gallo set a Nevada record with 67 home runs in 446 at-bats during his high school career.
Bryce Harper
■ School: Las Vegas
■ Drafted: Nationals, first round (first overall) 2010
■ Position: OF
■ MLB teams: Nationals, Phillies
■ Accomplishments: NL MVP 2015, 2021; NL Rookie of the Year 2012; six-time NL All-Star; Silver Slugger 2015, 2021.
■ Did you know: Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million contract in 2019 with the Phillies — the richest contract in the history of North American sports at the time.
Tyler Houston
■ School: Valley
■ Drafted: Braves, first round (second overall) 1989
■ Position: 3B, C
■ MLB teams: Braves, Cubs, Guardians, Brewers, Dodgers, Phillies
■ Accomplishments: Batted .265 in eight MLB seasons.
■ Did you know: Houston hit three home runs in one game against the Tigers in 2000 and was the first player in Brewers history to receive a curtain call.
Brandon Kintzler
■ School: Palo Verde
■ Drafted: Padres, 40th round 2004
■ Position: P
■ MLB teams: Brewers, Twins, Nationals, Cubs, Marlins, Phillies
■ Accomplishments: AL All-Star 2017; 28 saves for Twins 2017.
■ Did you know: Baseball writers have called Kintzler the most successful 40th-round draft pick in MLB history.
Ryan Ludwick
■ School: Durango
■ Drafted: A’s, second round 1999
■ Position: OF
■ MLB teams: Rangers, Guardians, Cardinals, Padres, Pirates, Reds
■ Accomplishments: NL All-Star 2008; batted .299 with 37 HRs and 113 RBIs 2008; Silver Slugger 2008.
■ Did you know: When he was named to the All-Star team, Ludwick was one of 57 non-pitchers in MLB history who batted right-handed and threw left.
Greg Maddux
■ School: Valley
■ Drafted: Cubs, second round 1984
■ Position: P
■ MLB teams: Cubs, Braves, Dodgers, Padres
■ Accomplishments: Hall of Fame; four-time Cy Young winner; eight-time All-Star; four-time ERA title; 18-time Gold Glove winner; 1995 World Series champion.
■ Did you know: Maddux is the only MLB pitcher to win at least 15 games in 17 consecutive seasons and the only pitcher to record more than 300 wins, 3,000 strikeouts and fewer than 1,000 walks.
Mike Maddux
■ School: Rancho
■ Drafted: Phillies, fifth round 1982
■ Position: P
■ MLB teams: Phillies, Dodgers, Padres, Mets, Pirates, Red Sox, Mariners, Expos, Astros
■ Accomplishments: Compiled 4.05 ERA in 15 MLB seasons.
■ Did you know: After he retired, Maddux became pitching coach for the Brewers, Rangers, Nationals and Cardinals.
Mike Morgan
■ School: Valley
■ Drafted: A’s, first round (fourth overall) 1978
■ Position: P
■ MLB teams: A’s, Yankees, Blue Jays, Mariners, Orioles, Dodgers, Cubs, Cardinals, Reds, Twins, Rangers, Diamondbacks
■ Accomplishments: NL All-Star 1991; one of 29 players in MLB history to play in four decades; at the time of retirement played for a MLB-record 12 teams.
■ Did you know: A week after his high school graduation, Morgan made his major league debut, throwing a complete game in a 3-0 loss to the Orioles on June 11, 1978.
Ron Kantowski Las Vegas Review-Journal
