Former Mount St. Mary’s Pitcher Deven Sheerin Drafted by Phillies, Continues Historic Climb to Professional Baseball
Former Mount St. Mary’s Pitcher Deven Sheerin Drafted by Phillies, Continues Historic Climb to Professional Baseball
Former Mount St. Mary’s standout Deven Sheerin has reached the next milestone in an incredible baseball journey.
The Philadelphia Phillies selected Sheerin with the 128th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday, making him one of the highest-drafted former Mountaineers in program history and adding another success story to Mount St. Mary’s growing baseball legacy.
For Mount St. Mary’s baseball, the selection represents far more than another alumnus reaching professional baseball. It showcases the development pipeline head coach Frank Leoni and his staff have built in Emmitsburg, where overlooked talent continues to develop into professional prospects.
From Emmitsburg to the SEC
Sheerin’s path to professional baseball has been anything but conventional.
After beginning his collegiate career at Mount St. Mary’s, the hard-throwing right-hander quickly established himself as one of the Northeast Conference’s premier pitchers. His electric fastball, improving secondary pitches and fearless mentality on the mound caught the attention of scouts and bigger programs alike.
Following his standout career with the Mountaineers, Sheerin transferred to LSU, one of college baseball’s premier programs, seeking to prove he could compete against the nation’s best hitters every weekend.
That decision ultimately paid off.
Despite suffering a torn ACL that forced him to miss the 2025 season, Sheerin returned in 2026 with impressive determination, becoming one of LSU’s most reliable arms while dramatically improving his draft stock.
Big Arm, Bigger Potential
Professional scouts were drawn to Sheerin’s power arsenal throughout the spring.
The right-hander consistently worked with a fastball reaching 97-98 mph, pairing it with a sharp slider capable of generating swings and misses against hitters from both sides of the plate.
Even more impressive was his command.
While LSU’s pitching staff battled inconsistency at times during the season, Sheerin developed a reputation for attacking the strike zone and limiting walks while still producing elite strikeout numbers.
During the 2026 season, Sheerin struck out 58 batters in 37.2 innings, averaging more than one and a half strikeouts per inning while posting a 4.78 ERA against elite SEC competition.
His combination of velocity, deception and command made him one of the fastest-rising bullpen prospects available in this year’s draft.
Mount St. Mary’s Success Story
Although much of the national attention has focused on Sheerin’s accomplishments at LSU, his baseball foundation was built at Mount St. Mary’s.
The Mountaineers have consistently developed pitchers capable of competing at higher levels despite operating without the resources of many Power Four programs.
Sheerin’s progression from Northeast Conference standout to SEC contributor to fourth-round MLB Draft selection illustrates exactly what Mount’s coaching staff strives to accomplish—develop players into professionals on and off the field.
His selection also gives current Mount players tangible proof that professional baseball remains within reach.
Why Philadelphia Wanted Him
The Phillies have placed a premium on pitching depth in recent drafts, and Sheerin fits the profile of a pitcher who could move quickly through the organization.
Scouts believe his fastball-slider combination is already professional quality, and many project him as a future high-leverage reliever with the upside to develop into a starting pitcher if his changeup continues to improve.
Because he has relatively low collegiate mileage due to the injury that sidelined him in 2025, Philadelphia may believe there is still considerable upside remaining.
That combination of present stuff and future projection made him an attractive Day 1 draft selection.
A Proud Day for the Mount
Mount St. Mary’s celebrated the announcement almost immediately after the selection, recognizing one of its former stars for achieving the dream of reaching professional baseball.
For a program continuing to grow nationally, Sheerin’s selection serves as another reminder that elite talent can emerge from Emmitsburg.
His journey—from Mount St. Mary’s to LSU and now into the Philadelphia Phillies organization—is a testament to perseverance, development and believing in the process.
The next chapter begins in professional baseball, but his story will always include the foundation built with the Mountaineers.
MSB Take
This is a huge recruiting victory for Mount St. Mary’s baseball, even years after Sheerin transferred. Prospective players notice programs that produce professional talent, regardless of where those athletes finish their collegiate careers. Sheerin’s development began in Emmitsburg, and his fourth-round selection is another example that Mount can identify and develop high-level baseball talent. For Maryland college baseball, it’s another player to follow on the road toward the major leagues.
