CHESTER, Vt. – Chester native Kaiden McCarthy made history on Saturday, July 11. The Vermont Academy right-hander became the highest drafted Vermonter in Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft history. McCarthy was drafted in the second round of Saturday’s MLB Draft, picked 48th overall by the Atlanta Braves.
McCarthy, who has a commitment at the University of Tennessee, reclassified from the Class of 2027 to the Class of 2026 in order to be eligible for this year’s MLB Draft.
McCarthy had a dominant spring, helping lead the Wildcats to a berth in the Lakes Region championship game. For his efforts, he was named Vermont Gatorade Player of the Year.
Even with missing some time with an injury, the 6-foot right-hander went 3-0 with a 0.72 ERA, striking out 42 batters against just six walks while posting a 0.47 WHIP and a -0.69 Fielding Independent Pitching ERA (FIP). He also batted .333 with one homer, eight RBI, and nine runs.
He is a two-time Lakes Region Pitcher of the Year and a 2026 Perfect Game NorthEast All-Region First Team selection.
McCarthy played his eighth-grade season at Green Mountain Union High School, where he was named Rutland Herald Baseball Player of the Year, before attending Vermont Academy for high school.
McCarthy has the decision to either sign a professional contract with the Braves or honor his commitment to Tennessee.
The MLB Draft signing deadline is July 27 at 5 p.m. for players selected out of high school and four-year colleges.
The Volunteers’ 2026 recruiting class is ranked No. 3 nationally by Perfect Game USA.
Before McCarthy was drafted, U-32 alumnus Owen Kellington was the holder of the record for earliest drafted Vermonter in the June Draft, having been drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fourth round in 2021, 102nd overall.