LAWRENCE — The Kansas baseball program enjoyed its most successful MLB draft in a decade in 2024, with six Jayhawks picked in recent days.

Those six total selections tie the program’s 2014 mark, although the 2014 draft featured 40 rounds and the 2024 draft featured 20. Right-handed pitcher Hunter Cranton started things off in the third round at 91st overall, with the Seattle Mariners making the pick, and cemented himself as one of the highest selections in program history. The next selection came in the sixth round at 192nd overall, as infielder/catcher Kodey Shojinaga saw himself go to the Philadelphia Phillies.

"I'm really proud of this draft class," Kansas coach Dan Fitzgerald said Tuesday in a KU release. "We've come a long way in two years and have our work cut out for us in replacing these guys! My staff did a fantastic job in finding these guys, recruiting them, and developing them at a high level! The bar has certainly been raised."

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Here’s more on all six of KU’s selections this year:

Hunter Cranton (Seattle Mariners, 3rd round)

Cranton, a redshirt senior this past season, collected seven saves in 25 appearances. He finished with a 4-3 record and 2.16 ERA. He tallied 38 strikeouts in 25.0 innings.

“Hunter has two legitimate major league pitches and should be a quick mover through a really awesome Mariners player development system,” Fitzgerald said Monday in a KU release.

Kodey Shojinaga (Philadelphia Phillies, 6th round)

Shojinaga, a sophomore this past season, became an All-Big 12 second team honoree for Kansas. He started all 54 games he appeared in, while collecting a .335 batting average. His 78 hits and 20 doubles were the two highest totals on the team.

“(Shojinaga) had an incredible career as a Jayhawk and will undoubtedly continue to progress through a fantastic Phillies organization," Fitzgerald said about the former Big 12 Conference co-freshman of the year in the KU release Monday. “Kodey has elite bat to ball skills, outstanding plate discipline, and a huge capacity for work.”

Ethan Lanthier (New York Mets, 12th round)

The New York Mets selected Ethan Lanthier in the 12th round with the 353rd overall pick. Lanthier, a junior right-handed pitcher this past season, appeared in 20 games and tallied a 4-0 record. He compiled a 4.54 ERA across 37.2 innings, with 42 strikeouts in that time.

"Ethan had a fantastic year for us and is a great pick for the Mets," Fitzgerald said Tuesday in the KU release. "(Lanthier) has a huge fastball and great feel for a well-above average slider. He's a great competitor and an outstanding teammate."

Tegan Cain (Philadelphia Phillies, 13th round)

The Philadelphia Phillies selected Tegan Cain in the 13th round with the 402nd overall pick. Cain, a junior right-handed pitcher this past season, appeared in 27 games with one start. He finished with a 1-2 record, 5.94 ERA and 47 strikeouts across 33.1 innings pitched.

"Tegan has an above average changeup that was really effective versus right-handed hitters," Fitzgerald said Tuesday in the KU release. "His fastball velocity improved greatly in his time as a Jayhawk."

Ben Hartl (Texas Rangers, 14th round)

The Texas Rangers selected Ben Hartl in the 14th round with the 435th overall pick. Hartl, a junior catcher this past season, started 41 of the 45 games he played in for Kansas. He finished with a batting average of .309, and his 11 home runs ranked second on the team.

"Hartl will be a great addition to the Rangers," Fitzgerald said Tuesday in the KU release. "Ben has great strike zone discipline and is a very good defender behind the plate."

Evan Shaw (Los Angeles Dodgers, 16th round)

The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Evan Shaw in the 16th round with the 490th overall pick. Shaw, a junior left-handed pitcher this past season, appeared in 18 games with 10 starts. He finished with a 3-1 record, 5.10 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched.

"Shaw had one of the best left-handed sliders in this year's draft to go along with an above average fastball," Fitzgerald said Tuesday in the KU release. "He's a great athlete and will pitch for a long time in professional baseball."

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas baseball enjoys best MLB draft in a decade with 6 selections