Former Shark selected in 2025 MLB Draft

By Isabella Fernandez de Cueto •

Anthony Karoly, member of the NSU baseball team from 2023-2025, was picked by the Seattle Mariners in the 2025 MLB Draft on July 14.

Karoly’s love for baseball began at a young age and evolved as he matured, turning his childhood pastime into a true commitment.

“I first started playing baseball when I was 4 years old, and I would say it turned into something I take seriously during my junior year of high school,” Karoly said. “I’ve always had passion for the sport.”

The right-handed pitcher from Ocala came to NSU after graduating high school in 2022. Although few schools showed interest in him, the NSU baseball coaching staff recognized and believed in his ability.

“NSU was really the only school that gave me a chance because I wasn’t super talented coming out of high school,” Karoly said. “I developed over my three years there and got this opportunity, so I’ll always be grateful they reached out.”

Karoly saw action during his freshman season in 2023. He pitched 17.2 innings with 29 strikeouts and an earned run average (ERA) of 8.15. Karoly’s sophomore season in 2024 looked a little different, as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery, a common procedure for pitchers in which a torn ligament in the elbow is replaced with a tendon to ensure athletes can continue throwing without pain. It was during this period that Adrian Morales, head coach for the baseball team, first met Karoly.

“When I got to NSU, he redshirted due to his surgery. All he did was rehab, and I could just see how hard of a worker he was, trying to get back on the field. There’s some guys that you don’t really have to tell much to or over-coach, and he was one of them,” Morales said. “He worked his tail off, and there’s nothing that beats hard work.”

Karoly’s hard work paid off, as he bounced back stronger from the injury in his junior season in 2025, with nine starts, 28 innings pitched with 47 strikeouts and an ERA of 4.18. During this season, Karoly realized he could have a future in professional baseball.

“Coming back after the surgery, I was throwing harder than ever and felt great,” Karoly said. “Coach trusted in me even through the ups and downs of me coming back and it turned out that I had a shot and was able to get drafted.”

Karoly was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 17th round as the 512th pick.

“I was watching the draft with my parents and girlfriend when they called my name,” Karoly said. “It was such a surreal moment and everything I’ve ever worked happened in that one moment, and it was awesome to celebrate with all of them.”

According to Karoly, he expected he may be drafted by Seattle but was still surprised.

“I had a little idea that the Mariners might draft me, but I didn’t know when it was going to happen,” Karoly said. “Like five seconds before it happened, they texted me saying, ‘Hey, it could happen right here’ and it ended up happening.”

Karoly is currently in Arizona with the Mariners’ Rookie league affiliate team, the first level of professional baseball in the United States.

“I’m in Arizona right now going through the program they have for me right now,” Karoly said. “It’s basically just ramping up before we go to the offseason and come back in March for spring training when the season starts back up.”

Having been an underdog since he came out of high school, Karoly has some advice for other baseball athletes in the same position as him.

“Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do something just because of the situation you’re in,” Karoly said. “You can get drafted at any level anywhere in the world, if you put in enough work and you’re talented enough they will come find you.”

Karoly has several goals in mind as he sets out on his journey in professional baseball.

“I’m excited to prove myself, develop more as a pitcher and be the best version of myself that I can be while I’m with this program,” Karoly said. “I want to show them there’s a reason why they drafted me.”

Morales is confident his former athlete has the potential to flourish in his professional career.

“He has a great work ethic and he throws 93-97 miles per hour, and you can’t teach that. Once you have a kid that has that ability and is also a relentless worker, such a good kid and disciplined in what he wants and his goals, it’s a very good recipe to have,” Morales said. “He’s only going to get better at the professional level, the sky is the limit for him.”