— HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY COLLEGE ATHLETICS RELEASE —
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (BlueDragonSports.com) – Former Hutchinson Community College All-American baseball player Ben McLaughlin became the 41st Blue Dragon selected in the MLB Draft on Monday.
McLaughlin was chosen in the ninth round with the 284th overall selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Day 2 of the three-day draft in Dallas. McLaughlin is the ninth Blue Dragon to be selected within in the Top 10 rounds.
The former Blue Dragon from Golden, Colorado, is the first Dragon drafted since Dylan Nedved in 2022 by the San Diego Padres. He is the second player selected by the Diamondbacks in Hutchinson history. Quarterback Club Hall of Famer Tim Olson was drafted by Arizona in the seventh round in 2000.
Playing for the Blue Dragons in 2021 and 2022, McLaughlin was the first Blue Dragon to be named Region VI Defensive Player of the Year. He was a first-team All-Jayhawk Conference Western Division and first-team All-Region VI selection as well in 2022.
The infielder started the 2022 season at first base and then moved to third base on March 24. He committed no errors at third base over the final 32 games of the regular season and had just two errors at the hot corner all season long. McLaughlin fielded .986 this season with only three errors in 222 fielding chances this season.
McLaughlin was the Blue Dragons’ undisputed offensive leader in 2022, hitting .411 (88 of 214) with 19 home runs and 83 RBIs. He also had 23 doubles and posted a .511 on-base percentage with team highs of 34 walks and 13 hit-by-pitches.
McLaughlin ranked third in RBIs, tied for fourth in home runs, fourth in hits, tied for second in doubles and is tied for ninth in runs score in Blue Dragon single-season history.
In 2022 conference games, McLaughlin hit .431 with 10 home runs, 13 doubles, 50 total hits and 39 RBIs with 23 walks. He fielded .991 in 32 KJCCC games this season.
McLaughlin had a 16-game and 13-game hitting streak this season. He had 29 multi-hit games (17 two-hit games and 12 three-hit games) and 23 multi-RBI games this season.
McLaughlin was named the NJCAA National Player of the Week on May 11, 2022, going 11 for 16 with three doubles, three home runs and 11 RBIs in a four-game series against Dodge City.
McLaughlin tied for seventh in the NJCAA in RBIs and was eighth in the nation in total bases with 172. His 19 home runs tied for 15th in the NJCAA. McLaughlin was sixth in the Jayhawk Conference with a .411 batting average and was fifth in slugging percentage at .804.
McLaughlin had 29 multi-hit games, including 12 three-hit games. He had 23 multi-RBI games with a season-high five RBIs against Dodge City on May 6. McLaughlin owns the Blue Dragon single-game RBI record with nine against Pratt on April 3, 2021.
As a freshman, McLaughlin hit .366 in 48 games with 60 total hits, 13 doubles, 13 home runs and 58 RBIs.
In 108 games as a Blue Dragon, McLaughlin hit .392 with 148 total hits (8th most in team history). He also ranks second in RBIs (141), second in home runs (32), fifth in doubles (36) and eighth in runs scored (122).
After Hutchinson, McLaughlin went to Arkansas and played for two seasons. McLaughlin hit .302 in his senior season and was named to the Fayetteville Regional all-tournament team. McLaughlin socked nine home runs and drove in 42 runs. As a junior, McLaughlin hit .346 with two homers and 14 RBIs.
