Point Arena, SRJC grad Jared Sundstrom selected by Seattle Mariners in MLB Draft

Jared Sundstrom, a Point Arena High School and Santa Rosa Junior College alum was selected in the 10th round of the 2023 MLB Draft on Monday by the Seattle Mariners.

“It was crazy,” Sundstrom told the Press Democrat on Monday night. “For a while, I was texting with my advisor, and we weren’t really hearing anything and then suddenly it was like, boom, it just happened.”

Sundstrom said his advisor told him Seattle was between him and another player for the 307th pick in the draft and landed on Sundstrom shortly before making the selection. His draft slot value is worth $165,500 and Sundstrom said he plans on signing with the club. He’ll head off to Seattle’s spring training facility in Peoria, Arizona on Friday.

“This has always been a dream to play professional baseball but it got a lot more real in the last year,” he said. “Coming out of Point Arena, like, Santa Rosa was big compared to there. I had to go to the JC and just kind of brick-by-brick build my way.”

Sundstrom, who was born in Santa Rosa and grew up in Gualala, is coming off a First-Team All-Conference redshirt junior season at UC Santa Barbara. The center fielder led the Big West in home runs (15) and slugging percentage (.672) and led the Gauchos in batting (.322), RBIs (43), doubles (15) and total bases (119).

Before transferring to UCSB, he was a standout in 48 games at SRJC. He led the team in batting (.386) and stolen bases (7) in their COVID-shortened season in 2021 and then batted .400 with six home runs, 26 RBIs, 34 runs and 16 stolen bases in 30 games in 2022.

Sundstrom also played for the Healdsburg Prune Packers this summer.

“Big appreciation to Damon at the JC and (Prune Packers head coach) Joey Gomes,” Sundstrom said. “Those are two insanely big mentors in my life that have really changed my baseball career and I can’t thank them enough for how much they’ve supported me and helped me through this journey.”

You can reach Staff Writer Gus Morris at 707-304-9372 or gus.morris@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @JustGusPD.