The Washington Nationals selected Butler outfielder Jack Moroknek in the 11th round of the 2025 MLB Draft on Monday afternoon. Moroknek is the first Bulldog to be drafted since 2019!
“Jack put together one of the best seasons we’ve seen at Butler in a long time”, Head Coach Blake Beemer stated. “His persistence and growth were extremely fun to watch. The Nationals took a great player and an even better person. I can’t wait to watch him at the next level.”
Moroknek capped off his BU career by leading the team in hits (81), batting average (.372), total bases (153), RBIs (57), home runs (18), runs scored (57), slugging percentage (.702) and OPS (1.145). He was a Second Team All-BIG EAST selection that ranked second in the conference in total bases and home runs.
Moroknek ranked 42nd in the NCAA in total bases, 49th in slugging percentage, 58th in home runs, 60th in batting average, and 82nd in total hits.
Moroknek set a BU record in 2025 by recording 153 total bases. He also tied a single-game school record twice during his career. The Carmel product hit three home runs in a road game at Eastern Michigan in 2024 and accomplished that feat again in 2025 with three homers in one game at Lindenwood.
Moroknek was a two-year starter at Butler that scored 95 runs in 109 total games. He hit .350 over that two-year period, recording 150 hits (30 doubles and 31 home runs) to help generate 101 RBIs.
Moroknek is the first Bulldog to be drafted since 2019 when Ryan Pepiot went in the 3rd round to the Los Angeles Dodgers. A day later, Harrison Freed went to the San Francisco Giants in the 13th round.
Freed and Pepiot became the first BU teammates to get drafted in the same year since 1998. That year Ryan Harber went in the 7th Round to Miami, David Gates was selected by Boston in the 27th Round, and Justin Beasley rounded out the trio after being picked up by Arizona.
Today, Moroknek becomes just the fifth Bulldog to be drafted since Butler joined the BIG EAST Conference in 2013. Connor Mitchell went in the 27th round to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018 and Eric Stout was picked by the Kansas City Royals in the 13th round of the 2014 draft.
Two-time MLB All-Star Pat Neshek was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 6th round of the 2002 Draft when Butler competed in the Horizon League. Including Neshek, 10 Bulldogs were selected in the MLB Draft from 1980-2002.
Bulldog fans can continue to watch draft coverage on MLB.com.
