SEATTLE, Wash. – Lamar University senior catcher Ryan Snell has been selected by the Washington Nationals in the seventh round of the 2023 MLB Amateur Player Draft. He was taken with the 195th overall pick.
 
A 2023 first-team ABCA All-Region selection and a third-team All-American, Snell becomes the 89^th Cardinal to be drafted by an MLB franchise, and the first since Jason Blanchard in 2019 (San Diego Padres, 9^th Round). The Cardinals have had four players sign free agent deals since 2020 when the draft was trimmed from 42 rounds down to 20 following the COVID pandemic.
 
Snell becomes the third Cardinal selected by the Nationals, joining Ben Cox (2004 – final season of the Montreal Expos, but drafted as Washington Nationals) and Tanner Driskill (2018, ninth round). He becomes the highest drafted Cardinal since Michael Ambort – another Cardinal catcher – was taken in the sixth round by the San Francisco Giants in 2007.
 
Snell put an exclamation point on his senior season being named Southland Conference Player of the Year, SLC All-Defensive team and was a finalist for the Buster Posey Award (formerly known as the Johnny Bench Award) which is handed out annually to the nation's top collegiate catcher.
 
Snell put together one of the best seasons for a catcher in program history. The Hardin, Texas native hit .317 with a .412 on-base percentage and finished second in the league with 17 home runs – a mark which missed the school's single-season record by just one knock. Snell also ranked among the Southland leaders in doubles (17), RBIs (58), total bases (138), walks (33) and OPS (1.066).
 
Snell's value was even more evident behind the plate. The all-defensive team catcher was a one-man rally-killer for opponents ending the year ranked among the national leaders in throwing out attempted base stealers. He threw out 20-of-34 (.588) would-be base stealers on the season.
 
For his career, Snell played in 135 games earning 124 starts, posting a .294/.379/.511 slash line with 32 doubles, 22 home runs and 98 RBIs. He also drew 54 walks during his career and scored 86 runs.