Sea Unicorns have Former Players Select in 2026 MLB Draft, Current player signs with San Diego Padres

The 2026 MLB Draft season proved once again that the Norwich Sea Unicorns continue to produce top notch talent, with multiple former players and even a current star making the jump to the next level.

Despite having no Day 1 selections, the Rose City saw two of their alumni get selected in the 10th round on Day 2 of the 2026 MLB Draft. 

The first Sea Unicorn selected was outfielder Matt Bucciero, who was selected with the 285th pick by the Chicago White Sox. The Fairfield Stag was named the 2026 MAAC Player of the Year alongside making the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region First Team. He was named to the All-MAAC First Team for three consecutive seasons, racking up the accolades in an impressive collegiate career. He led the conference in home runs, RBI, and slugging percentage in 2026 with 20, 57, and .688 respectively. Bucciero also broke the Fairfield University all-time home run record and had three multi-home run games this past season. 

Bucciero spent the 2023 season in Norwich, where the Danbury native hit .267 with 18 RBIs and six stolen bases in 33 games. His most notable accomplishment came when he helped lead the team to its first of three straight Futures League championships, crowning the Rose City as champions for the first time in their history since joining the FCBL. 

After 2023, Bucciero would play summer ball with the Danbury Westerners and Falmouth Commodores in 2024 before heading to the Trenton Thunder in 2026. The Connecticut slugger ends his combined collegiate and summer career with a .315 batting average in 281 games with 59 home runs, 271 RBIs, and 62 stolen bases. 

The next Sea Unicorn to be selected was reliever Andrew Gaines, who was selected with the 311th pick by the Milwaukee Brewers. A notable pitching lab throughout their farm system, Gaines has been set up for success with the perfect landing spot. 

In 2026, the Marlton native matched Saint Joseph’s single-season save record with 10 in 24 appearances, earning himself Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team honors. He started the season with nine consecutive scoreless outings, which led him to being named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year watch list. 

Gaines spent the 2024 season in Norwich, appearing in seven games. He ended the campaign with a 2-0 record and an impressive 1.72 ERA, making him one of the best relievers in all of the Futures League. In 15.2 innings of work, Gaines racked up 23 strikeouts to just three walks, becoming a crucial core piece to the team’s road to a second consecutive Futures League championship. 

Before Norwich, Gaines played college ball at Iona and summer ball with the South Jersey Kings in 2022. He would transfer to Pittsburgh in 2025 before landing at Saint Joseph’s in 2026. He played summer ball with the Mystic Schooners in 2025. The New Jersey product ends his combined collegiate and summer career with an 11-8 record in 77 games, racking up a 6.90 ERA with 13 saves and 158 strikeouts in 105.2 innings pitched. 

The most recent player among the Norwich products heading to the next level is reliever Aidan Cochrane, who was signed as an undrafted free agent by the San Diego Padres. An East Lyme native and UConn commit, he will begin his professional career right out of high school. 

His career with the Sea Unicorns was short lived, only appearing in three games with a 2.84 ERA in 2026. However, those 6.1 innings of work were beyond impressive, racking up five strikeouts, a win, and a save. 

In his young career, the East Lyme High School pitcher was named the Roberto’s Log Cabin Player of the Game in the 2026 ECC Division I baseball final against Norwich Free Academy at Dodd Stadium. He also spent some of 2026 with MVP Baseball, perfecting his craft for the next level. 

Fans can hope that they see all these young athletes in the show one day, as the talent has been proven through the Norwich standard that has been set by the professional culture. Good luck to all three of these former Sea Unicorns at the next level! 

written by Mark Benway