Zach Thornton's Journey from Collegiate Baseball to MLB Prospect Zach Thornton, a 21-year-old left-handed pitcher, has carved out a path from humble beginnings in Kansas to becoming a notable prospect for the New York Mets. Born to a pair of collegiate track athletes, Thornton’s athletic career diverged from his parents’ sport, leading him to excel in baseball. His journey began at Lawrence Free State High School in Kansas, where he developed as a high school pitcher. Despite his talent, he was not a top prospect due to a combination of factors, including the loss of his senior season to the COVID-19 pandemic. This, coupled with his lack of draft attention, led him to attend Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kansas, a junior college just a few hours from his hometown. Thornton’s college career at Barton saw steady progress. In 2021, he appeared in 14 games, starting 13, and posted a 4.01 ERA over 60.2 innings. His performance earned him a spot in the Sunflower Collegiate League, where he further refined his skills with a 4.18 ERA in 32.1 innings. The following year, he returned to Barton for his sophomore season, starting all 15 games and improving his ERA to 2.63 in 78.2 innings. This success caught the attention of larger programs, and by 2022, he was offered a spot at Grand Canyon University for his junior year. At Grand Canyon, Thornton became a mainstay in the weekend rotation, posting a 3.87 ERA in 88.1 innings. His performance in NCAA Division I baseball caught the eye of the Mets, who selected him in the 2023 MLB Draft with their fifth-round pick (159th overall). The Mets signed him for $350,000, slightly below the slot value of $378,000 for that pick.#new_york_mets #zach_thornton #lawrence_free_state_high_school #barton_community_college #grand_canyon_university
