PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Pilots pitcher Nick Brink was selected in the seventh round of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft by the Miami Marlins on Monday. Brink was the 215th overall pick and is the ninth Pilot to be drafted since Portland head coach Geoff Loomis took the reins in 2016.

Brink joins fellow teammate Sam Stuhr – picked in the fifth round by the Oakland A's – as the second Pilot to get drafted on Monday. The pair are two of just ten Portland Pilots all-time to be picked in the seventh round or higher. Portland has had a total of 68 players selected in the MLB Draft all time.

They duo now joins former Pilot catcher Cooper Hummel and shortstop Chad Stevens as the only active Pilots currently with an MLB organization. Hummel is currently with the Houston Astros Triple-A affiliate in the Sugar Land Space Cowboys while Stevens plays with the Tri-City Dust Devils, a High-A affiliate with the Los Angeles Angels.

Brink, a local product who attended Cleveland High School in Portland, missed the 2022 season due to injury, but was one of the best pitchers on the West Coast the last two seasons. This spring, he posted a 10-4 record with a 3.63 ERA in 99.2 innings pitched. He recorded 130 strikeouts on the year, leading the WCC and ranking sixth nationally. It is also the second-highest strikeout total any Pilot has posted in a single season. Brink led the conference in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.65), strikeouts per nine innings (11.74), WHIP (1.08) and walks allowed per nine innings (2.08), and he was the only WCC pitcher to throw multiple complete games this year.

Brink earned several honors throughout the season including NCBWA All-America recognition and a CSC Academic All-America award. He earned All-WCC First Team honors for the second year in a row and was a four-time WCC Pitcher of the Week. 

It was an incredible year for the Pilots, who went 37-19 overall and 19-5 in WCC play. Their 37 wins were the most they've posted in a single season and their 19 wins are the most they've ever had in WCC play and the most across any conference they've played in since 1980. They made the 2024 WCC Tournament Championship this year, advancing to the championship game for the second season in a row.

Nick Brink on Being Drafted

"I'm very excited for the opportunity and thankful to the Miami Marlins organization for drafting me. University of Portland was the only offer I received coming out of high school, so I am grateful that they gave me an opportunity. My time at Portland has been awesome. The first couple of years were a struggle and I had to overcome injuries, but the support from the coaching staff, teammates, fans and everyone else at the University made for a great last two seasons and shaped me into the pitcher and person I am today. I will always be grateful for my time as a Pilot."

Portland Head Coach Geoff Loomis on Brink

"Nick has been our Friday night guy and go-to pitcher in the biggest games the last couple seasons. Miami is getting a big-time competitor who always wants the ball in the ball in the biggest moments. This is a big day for Nick as well as our program.
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