For the first time in college history, two Mercer County Community College baseball players have been selected in the same Major League Baseball draft, with the selection of catcher Anthony Peroni in the 14th round Wednesday by the Washington Nationals.
Earlier in the week, pitcher Dennis Brady was selected in the seventh round by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Peroni, a Steinert High School Graduate, helped lead the MCCC squad to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II World Series finals with a .401 batting average, 15 home runs and 57 RBI. He was named Region 19 Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player of the Region 19 Tournament.
Vikings head coach Kevin Kerins said Peroni’s leadership was key to the teams stellar season, skills he said will translate well into professional baseball.
“The Nationals are getting a tremendous person, baseball player and a leader,” Kerins said. “This past season it was Anthony’s team. He was our leader and the bigger the game, the better he played.”
The 2017 season marked the first time in college history that a MCCC baseball team won back-to-back Region 19 and Northeast District titles, and appeared in consecutive NJCAA World Series tournaments. It was also the Vikings’ first appearance in a national championship game, where they lost to Kankakee Community College and concluded the season as national runner up.
This is the fifth consecutive year a Vikings player has been selected by MLB.
MCCC catcher Anthony Peroni, selected in the 14th round by the Washington Nationals, concluded the 2017 season with a .401 batting average, 15 home runs and 57 RBI.,
