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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

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