McFarlane ready to take next step – the pros

The 21-year-old McFarlane, a right-handed pitcher who just completed his redshirt sophomore year on the University of Miami’s baseball team, was picked by the Phillies in the fourth round (122nd overall) of the MLB Draft.

That makes McFadden the highest-picked player from the USVI in the Major League Draft since St. Thomas native Jabari Blash went in the eighth round (252nd overall) to the Seattle Mariners in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, according to www.baseball-reference.com.

“It really didn’t come as a surprise,” said McFarlane, who will sign his contract with the Phillies sometime today. “I was just waiting for that call. … They called during the draft, so I probably got it about a minute-and-a-half [warning] before it was announced.

“Getting picked in the higher rounds is something. Just to achieve what some of the other Virgin Islanders have done, I want other people to follow in my footsteps as well, just like I’ve done with the others.”

This wasn’t McFarlane’s first experience with the MLB Draft — in 2019, he went in the 25th round (755th overall) to the St. Louis Cardinals. But McFarlane had already decided that a few years of college ball would do him some good — hence the decision to play for the Hurricanes.

McFarlane had already been drawing attention from college scouts — and even some of the pros — based on his play on the mainland travel-ball circuit with Team Elite Baseball, a Winder, Ga.-based team.

However, after hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017 kept him from traveling stateside for several months, McFarlane decided to spend his senior year of high school on the mainland. He moved to Mt. Airy, Ga., in 2018, and attended Habersham Central High School.

That time with Habersham Central High’s baseball team also proved to be beneficial for McFarlane, who led the Raiders to the playoffs and a 19-13 overall record. He finished the season with a 4-0 record, with a 1.66 earned run average and 68 strikeouts to just 21 walks allowed.

That led to McFarlane signing with Miami, choosing the Hurricanes over fellow Atlantic Coast Conference schools Clemson and Wake Forest.

In three seasons with Miami — including a COVID-19 shortened 2020 freshman season — McFarlane compiled a 7-5 record both as a starter and reliever, pitching 91 innings over 49 games (including 12 starts) with a 4.35 earned-run average (ERA), 120 strikeouts and 44 walks.

His best season came in 2022, when McFarlane went 3-2 in 45 innings over 27 appearances with Miami, with a 4.00 ERA, 68 strikeouts and 20 walks as the Hurricanes were the sixth national seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, Miami was eliminated in the first round of the Coral Cables Regional in three games.

“I’m more mature now, mentally and physically,” McFarlane said. “I’ve gone through three years of schools, and it helped me progress in certain aspects of the game.”

McFarlane’s next step to the majors begins in Clearwater, Fla., where the Phillies’ spring training facility is located. His career will likely begin with the Phillies’ rookie-level team in the Florida Complex League.

From there, the next step up the ladder is in McFarlane’s hands.

“I’m ready for it,” he said. “I’m ready for the journey, and to see what professional baseball holds for me. It’s been a dream my whole life to go out there for St. Thomas, and make my dream a reality. This just takes me one step closer.”