Recent graduates Kerry Wright, Saul Gonzalez and Nander de Sedas, were selected in the draft.
Montverde Academy is proud to announce and congratulate that three recent graduates and varsity baseball players Kerry Wright, Saul Gonzalez and Nander de Sedas, who have been selected by in the recent Major League Baseball (MLB) 2018 Draft.
“We are very proud to have been a part of the journey that these young men have been on toward their goal of playing baseball at the highest level,” said Montverde Academy Headmaster, Dr. Kasey C. Kesselring. “Their success is a testament that with hard work and serious commitment, you can achieve your goals. The entire Montverde Academy community congratulates Kerry, Saul and Nander on being drafted; as well as our coaching team and staff who played a role in helping these student-athletes achieve their fullest potential on and off the field.”
Kerry Wright (’18) was drafted in the 21st round by the Tampa Bay Rays. Born in Kuwait City, Kuwait, to a military family, Kerry has travelled extensively and lived in many parts of the world. He arrived at Montverde Academy in August 2017 and became a vital part of the undefeated 25-0 record that the Eagles team achieved in their 2017-18 season. Kerry won Most Valuable Pitcher at the Perfect Game High School Showdown Tournament in Georgia.
In the position of pitcher only, Kerry worked throughout the year with Victor Valencia, head baseball coach, and Christian Figueroa-Lindor, assistant baseball coach, to improve his pitching consistency and further gain strength, velocity and accuracy. Kerry had an outstanding season, consistently throwing pitches that hit 92-96 mph, and has become the first pitcher from MVA to be drafted.
Saul Gonzalez (’18), originally from Cidra, Puerto Rico, was selected in the 23rd round of the draft by the New York Mets, becoming MVA’s second pitcher drafted. Saul attended Montverde Academy for his junior and senior years. An imposing figure at 6′ 7” and 235 pounds, he joined the baseball team as a pitcher and position player. MVA coaches soon realized that his future was on the mound, and redirected his focus and training to become a pitcher only. Saul is a talented young man with great character who is extremely hard working. That dedication has resulted in his improvement from throwing pitches at 88-90 mph in his junior year to touching a speed of 97 mph by the end of his senior year. He earned the 2018 Most Valuable Pitcher Award at the MVA Athletic Banquet.
Nander de Sedas was born and raised in Panama City, Panama. He left his home and family at the age of 15, his sophomore year, to pursue academics and his passion for baseball at Montverde Academy. Nander transformed from a good talent to a great talent on the field and at bat. With great hands in the field in the position of short stop, his raw power and very strong arm made him a formidable defensive player. A dedicated and hard-working player, he has invested time and training to become a switch-hitter at bat with power from both side, increasing his versatility. He was chosen to represent MVA on the 2018 All-America Team and he was MVP for the Perfect Game High School Showdown Tournament in Georgia.
These three players were part of the Montverde Academy Eagles team that won a bet with Francisco Lindor (’11), Cleveland Indians player and MVA alumnus. At the beginning of the season, Francisco told the team that he would shave his head if the Eagles had an undefeated season. When he lost that bet, Nander was the first player who made the first “cut,” followed by the rest of the team who helped shave Francisco’s entire head. Francisco has remained involved with the baseball program at MVA, serving as a role model for the team.
“I’m very happy for the guys that were drafted this week,” said Lindor. “Now they get to decide if they want to start their pro career or continue their education first. Either way, I know Montverde Academy has them prepared for their next challenge.”
