From State Champions to Major Leagues

In a surprising turn of events, Northville’s Dante Nori committed to becoming the No. 27 pick for the Philadelphia Phillies in the recent Major League Baseball Draft, immediately following his team’s monumental victory in the first baseball state championship in his school’s history

“Dante is a guy that we first identified as a potential high pick going back to last summer. We got to know him,” shared Brian Barber, assistant general manager of amateur scouting for the Phillies. “He’s a very good baseball player with good tools who’s an advanced bat. “We just like the total package.”

Nori’s Impressive Sports Profile

Nori, a 19-year-old left-handed hitter with an impressive command of the strike zone, stands at 5-foot-10 and weighs 190 pounds. His profile on MLB Pipeline shows his great speed and defensive skills. Nori projects as a center fielder with great potential.

Nori’s contribution to Northville’s victory in the state semifinals came in the form of a towering 400-foot home run. Discussing his power potential, Barber shared, “He’s definitely strong, there’s no doubt about that. … We’ve seen the power that he has, so it’s just a matter of unlocking it in the game.”

A Rising Star

Despite not grading high on power currently, Nori’s overall offensive strengths mark him as an advanced bat. “He takes balls, he swings at strikes,” said Barber. Impressed by Nori’s technique, Barber added, “He hits the balls he swings at, and he hits them hard.”

With his 27th rank, Nori has become the highest-drafted Michigan high-schooler since Nick Plummer from Birmingham Brother Rice, who was selected No. 23 by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015. He was the first of two Michigan prep stars taken in the first two rounds.

The MLB Draft Continues

Following his successful selection, the MLB Draft was set to continue with rounds 3-10, and concluding on Tuesday with rounds 11-20.