Philly Leader

Jackson Appel, a 2023 graduate from the University of Pennsylvania, was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the MLB Draft. Chosen with the 169th pick in the sixth round, Appel is now part of a group of 26 players from Penn who have been drafted into Major League Baseball. He is also one of only four catchers from the university to be drafted, and he holds the distinction of being the highest-drafted Quaker since Doug Glanville in 1991.

Appel's college career began at Penn, where he played for four seasons before transferring to Texas A&M for his graduate year. During his time at Penn, he was recognized as a first-team All-Ivy catcher in 2023. That season, he started all 50 games and led his team in several categories including runs, triples, and walks. His defensive skills were notable as well; he threw out nearly 40% of attempted base stealers.

In his junior year in 2022, Appel earned second-team All-Ivy honors and finished second on his team with a .346 batting average. The switch-hitting catcher scored 48 runs and hit seven home runs that year.

While playing for Texas A&M this past season, Appel maintained a .331 batting average over 65 games. He accumulated 78 hits and was named a first-team All-America by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).

For updates on Penn baseball activities, fans can follow @PennBaseball on X (formerly Twitter), @Penn_Baseball on Instagram, or visit their website at PennAthletics.com.