Darren Bowen of UNC Pembroke Selected by Seattle Mariners in 2022 MLB Draft
SEATTLE – Darren Bowen of UNC Pembroke was selected in the 13th Round of the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft by the Seattle Mariners.
Bowen becomes the first Conference Carolinas player drafted since 2019 when North Greenville had three drafted in Kipp Rollings, Michael Giacone and Utah Jones.
Bowen becomes the 15th player in UNC Pembroke baseball history to be drafted by an MLB organization, joining such names as Mike Carruthers (selected in both the 1966 and 1968 drafts) and Torrey Pettitford who was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1994 edition. Bowen is the fourth MLB draftee to have played collegiate ball under current head coach Paul O'Neil.
UNCP has now had players selected in consecutive drafts for the first time since the 1968 and 1969 seasons. The San Diego Padres picked up River Ryan in the 11th round of last year's event. Ryan is currently with the Ranco Cucamonga Quakes in the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system. Bowen is the eighth UNCP product to be picked among the draft's first 13 rounds.
A key right-hander for the Braves over the last three seasons, Bowen held opponents to a paltry .240 batting average in 21 appearances in the spring, and finished among NCAA Division II's top saves leaders despite moving into the starting rotation for the last month of the season. The Robeson County product also struck out 84 batters in 54-2/3 innings pitched, including a career-best 13 strikeouts in the series opener at Mount Olive.
To learn more about UNC Pembroke’s MLB Draft selections, please visit
here.
**UNC Pembroke Athletic Communications contributed to this report**