Trio of Jayhawks Hear Names Called in 2025 MLB Draft

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas baseball infielder/outfielder Brady Counsell, right-handed pitcher Alex Breckheimer and outfielder Derek Cerda were all selected in the 2025 MLB Draft on Monday. The three Jayhawks drafted marks nine players picked from Kansas in the last two seasons.

Counsell was chosen in the 10th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Breckheimer was a 16th round selection by the St. Louis Cardinals and Cerda went in the 17th round to the Chicago White Sox.

"Having guys drafted is one of the many signs of a healthy program and having guys drafted for the first time is a major sign of great development," head coach Dan Fitzgerald said.

In the last two years, Fitzgerald and his coaching staff of Brandon Scott, Tyler Hancock, Jon Coyne and Ryan Holland have helped 11 Jayhawks become professional baseball players. The combination of draft picks and free agent signings over the last two years is the most in consecutive seasons in school history.

Counsell is the third Kansas player in the last two drafts to be a Top 10 round pick, with Hunter Cranton (third round) and Kodey Shojinaga (sixth round) being chosen in the 2024 MLB Draft. The last time Kansas had players selected in the top 10 rounds of back-to-back MLB Drafts was 2018 and 2019.

The 2025 season marked one of the most historic years ever for Kansas. A 43-17 overall record helped KU reach its first NCAA Tournament since 2014. Fitzgerald was named the first Big 12 Coach of the Year in program history and the Jayhawks set program records in regular season wins (42), Big 12 wins (20), conference wins (20), conference series wins (seven), conference series sweeps (five), road wins (20), come-from-behind wins (26) and home runs (104).

INF/OF Brady Counsell (Sr.)
Round 10, No. 303 Overall, Arizona Diamondbacks

Counsell, an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention pick, became the first Kansas player in school history to win a Rawlings Gold Glove Award in 2025. One of Counsell's greatest strengths was his durability to start every game, the only Jayhawk to do so this past season.

"Brady will be a great Diamondback and really checks every box for the type of player you want in your organization," Fitzgerald said. "He can really work and is an incredible teammate. He is a total pro – on the field and in the clubhouse."

One of four Kansas players with double-digit home runs, Counsell finished the year with 12 home runs. He drove in 57 RBIs and scored 54 runs, both of which were the second most on the team. His 57 RBIs were also tied for seventh in the Big 12.

Defensively, Counsell posted a .992 fielding percentage with only one error in 121 chances to earn his Gold Glove. Counsell's versatility was on display all season as he started 30 games at third base, 25 games in left field and five games at second base.

A native of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, Counsell came to Kansas for his final year of eligibility after spending his first three years at Minnesota. Counsell made an emphatic return to Minnesota in 2025 by hitting the third of an NCAA record-tying five consecutive home runs on March 12 at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Lawrence ? Phoenix@BradyCounsell has been selected in the 10th round by the @Dbacks!#RockChalk pic.twitter.com/IeUUcCoz5x
— Kansas Baseball (@KUBaseball) July 14, 2025

RHP Alex Breckheimer (Jr.)
Round 16, No. 480 Overall, St. Louis Cardinals

Breckheimer developed into one of the most relied on back-end bullpen arms in the Big 12 this season. An imposing presence on the mound, standing at 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds, Breckheimer was tied for fourth in the nation with 33 pitching appearances.

"Alex was one of the better relievers in the Big 12 and will be a nice addition to the St. Louis farm system," Fitzgerald said. "He took a big jump in his one year with us and will continue to make strides in the bullpen for the Cards."

The strong righty whose fastball touched 98 mph this past season had a record of 5-0 with a 3.56 ERA in 48 innings of work. He recorded 50 strikeouts compared to only 14 walks. Breckheimer produced multiple strikeouts in 16 outings, nearly half of his appearances.

Breckheimer finished the season with seven saves, tied for the third most in the conference. His ability to perform in high leverage situations became more evident as the season progressed and is a big reason for him throwing more than 1.0 inning in 17 of his relief appearances.

The Chilton, Wisconsin, native was only at Kansas for one season after choosing to transfer to KU from Bryant & Stratton College in Wisconsin. He was the first-ever power-conference recruit from Bryant & Stratton College.

Lawrence ? St. Louis@Alexbreck11 has been selected in the 16th round by the @Cardinals! #RockChalk pic.twitter.com/tInTrAhgrJ
— Kansas Baseball (@KUBaseball) July 14, 2025

OF Derek Cerda (Jr.)
Round 17, No. 496 Overall, Chicago White Sox

Cerda was a successful presence atop the Kansas batting order for much of the season. He scored a run in each of his final 10 games and 27 of his last 30 contests. Cerda finished third on the team with 52 runs scored.

"Derek is an exceptional center fielder and a great worker," Fitzgerald said. "We couldn't be happier for him. He made a huge impact on our program in a short period of time."

Transitioning from the junior college level to the Big 12 is not a small step and Cerda proved ready for the challenge. Cerda reached base safely in 29 of 30 conference games in 2025. He also ended the season with a 10-game on-base streak and had a season-long 20-game on-base streak from March 21 to April 19.

Cerda's speed was critical with a team-high 10 stolen bases and tracking down fly balls in center field. The speedy outfielder saved many runs for the pitching staff and appeared on SportsCenter's Top 10 plays twice for his extraordinary effort.

A Santiago, Dominican Republic, native, Cerda capitalized on his opportunity to play one season at Kansas.

Lawrence ? Chicago@Derek_Cerda10 has been selected in the 17th round by the @whitesox! #RockChalk pic.twitter.com/h1iRTW9No3
— Kansas Baseball (@KUBaseball) July 14, 2025

University of Kansas Athletics

Trio of Jayhawks Hear Names Called in 2025 MLB Draft

Players Mentioned

Alex Breckheimer

Derek Cerda

Brady Counsell

Hunter Cranton

Kodey Shojinaga

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