Junior right-handed pitcher Matt Duffy became the 15th player in Canisius College history to be drafted Monday as he was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft.

Duffy is the first Golden Griffin to be selected since Tyler Smith was picked in the eighth round by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2018 draft.

The Burlington, Ontario, native is just the fifth junior in program history to be drafted, and his selection in the fourth round (pick No. 115) represents the highest draft pick in Canisius program history.

“I’m pretty much speechless right now” Duffy said. “It’s been my dream since I was about the age of 5 and to see it come to fruition, it’s an insane feeling. It’s an honor to be selected by such a historic franchise and I can’t wait to get started.”

With Duffy’s selection by Boston on Monday, all 15 Canisius players drafted have been taken by an American League team. Duffy is the second Canisius player to be drafted by the Red Sox organization, joining former Griff hurler Joe Mamott, who was taken in the sixth round (159th overall) in the 1994 edition of the MLB Draft.

“I am truly proud of Matt,” said Canisius head baseball coach Matt Mazurek, a 2002 Silver Creek Central School graduate. “He is one of the best to ever do it at Canisius and this opportunity is something he created for himself. He has grown and matured as a true professional during his time with our program and we are all excited to follow his journey from here. He has earned everything every step of the way.”

Duffy compiled a 17-5 record during his three seasons with the Griffs, highlighted by an 8-2 ledger during the 2022 campaign which saw Canisius claim its fourth MAAC Championship.

The school’s all-time strikeout leader with 278 career punchouts, Duffy is the only pitcher in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference history to record 100-or-more strikeouts in multiple seasons. He first surpassed the century mark with a school-record 124 strikeouts during his sophomore season before following up that effort by fanning 119 batters in 2023.

The 2023 MAAC Pitcher of the Year and an All-MAAC First Team selection, Duffy paced the league in total strikeouts, strikeouts per nine innings (13.28), WHIP (1.14) and hits allowed per nine innings (7.14) in the recently-completed season. The 2022 MAAC Championship Most Valuable Player, Duffy was also a MAAC All-Championship Team selection in 2021 and 2022, as well as an All-MAAC First Team selection in 2022.

In addition to his MAAC accolades, Duffy is a two-time American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings Division I All-Northeast Region selection, earning second-team honors in 2022 and first-team recognition this past year.

Griffs to be drafted prior to Duffy and Smith include: Jake Lumley (Oakland A’s, 2017 33rd round), Brett Siddall (Toronto Blue Jays, 2015 13th round), Connor Panas (Toronto Blue Jays, 2015 9th round), Devon Stewart (Cleveland Indians, 2015 9th round), Rohn Pierce (Seattle Mariners, 2014 19th round), Garrett Cortright (Baltimore Orioles, 2013 40th round), Sean Jamieson (Oakland A’s, 2011 17th round), Chris Cox (Toronto Blue Jays, 2011 39th round), Shane Davis (Toronto Blue Jays, 2011 42nd round), Steve McQuail (Toronto Blue Jays, 2010 30th round), Kevin Mahoney (New York Yankees, 2009 23rd round), Kevin Mailloux (Seattle Mariners, 2009 45th round) and Joe Mamott (Boston Red Sox, 1994 6th round).

PGCBL DRAFT PICKS

Fourteen former Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League players were drafted by Major League teams this past week.

The highest PGCBL player went 13th overall to the Chicago Cubs, who selected former Amsterdam Mohawks shortstop Matt Shaw from the University of Maryland.

The Seattle Mariners selected Wake Forest pitcher Teddy McGraw with the 92nd pick in the third round. McGraw pitched for the Mohawks in the summer of 2021.

Maine infielder Quinn McDaniel was selected with the 153rd pick in the fifth round by the San Francisco Giants. McDaniel pitched for the Glens Falls Dragons in the summer of 2021.

The Los Angeles Angels picked pitcher Cam Minacci of Wake Forest University with the 174th pick in the sixth round. Minacci also pitched for Amsterdam in the summer of 2021.

The Giants dipped back into the PGCBL waters for their ninth-round pick when they took 2021 Batavia Muckdogs infielder Charlie Szykowny from the University of Illinois-Chicago with the 270th overall selection.

University of Arizona pitcher Chris Barraza became the second PGCBL player the Angels selected when he went in the 10th round at pick No. 294 overall. Barraza pitched for Amsterdam in the summer of 2019.

The St. Louis Cardinals picked UC Irvine outfielder Caden Kendle in the 10th round with the 305th overall selection. Kendle played for the Saugerties Stallions in the summer of 2021.

The New York Yankees selected the third PGCBL player in the 10th round when they took Oklahoma State University pitcher Brian Hendry with the 312th overall pick. Hendry was a member of the Oneonta Outlaws in the summer of 2018.

Samford University Carson Hobbs went to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 11th round with the 340th overall pick. He pitched for the Elmira Pioneers in the summer of 2021.

The Giants again looked to the PGCBL for their 15th-round pick, Tulane University pitcher Dylan Carmouche. The 450th overall selection pitched for the Amsterdam Mohawks in 2021.

Niagara County Community College pitcher Brendan Morse, currently a member of the Niagara Power, was the Texas Rangers’ 18th-round selection with the 531st pick.

Florida Southwestern pitcher Tyler Kennedy went to the Pittsburgh Pirates with the 557th overall pick. The 19th-round selection pitched for the Saugerties Stallions last summer.

The Colorado Rockies selected another current PGCBL player when they took Mahoning Valley Diamond Dawgs pitcher Troy Butler with the 592nd overall pick. The 20th-round selection is from Herkimer County CC.

The final PGCBL player selected was Eastern Kentucky University’s Will King in the 20th round. The 609th overall selection by the Atlanta Braves played for the Utica Blue Sox last summer.