Brent Iredale & Brayan Orrantia Drafted to MLB

Former T-Birds Brent Iredale and Brayan Orrantia were selected in the 2025 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft on Monday, July 14.

Brent Iredale (2022-24) was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the 203rd pick in the seventh round of the 2025 MLB Draft. Iredale spent this past season with the Arkansas Razorbacks as the team's starting third baseman. Iredale slashed .286/.450/.544 with 14 home runs and 57 RBI in 65 appearances with the Razorbacks during the 2025 season. 

"Brent Iredale was a no-brainer from the very first day he stepped on our campus," NMJC baseball head coach Michael Robbins said. "An all-timer whose journey we are proud to have been a part of. The Pirates are getting high level strike zone awareness, big power potential, and a plus defender."

The former T-Bird was prolific in his two seasons (2022-24) with the T-Birds. Iredale was a two-time All-WJCAC and All-Region selection. The Australian was the first back-to-back WJCAC MVP in conference history, broke the school record in homers with 42, and was a NJCAA Second Team All-American in 2024. 

His sophomore season saw him slash .441/.576/1.000 with a team-high 25 home runs, 22 doubles, four triples, and 78 RBI. During his freshman season in 2023, he slashed .411/.508/.807 with 17 home runs, 19 doubles, four triples, and 67 RBI.

Iredale has elected to sign with the Pirates and forgo his collegiate eligibility to compete in the MLB. The Sydney, Australia native signed for $294,900 with his slot value at $297,400.

The Baltimore Orioles selected former NMJC starting pitcher Brayan Orrantia (2024-25) with pick 424 in the 14th round of the 2025 MLB Draft. Orrantia has signed to play in the NCAA with the Oklahoma Sooners and has chosen to forgo his remaining collegiate eligibility and head to the professional ranks. Orrantia signed for $151,900 with the extra $1,900 counting toward the team's spending limit.

In 2025, Orrantia picked up NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American honors, WJCAC Pitcher of the Year, and All-Region V honors. Orrantia finished his sophomore season with the third most wins in junior college going 12-3 with a 3.16 ERA, 83 Ks, and 85.1 innings pitched.

The Los Mochis, SI, Mexico native is the first pitcher from the WJCAC to be named an All-American since 2015.

2025 is the first time since 2018 that two T-Birds have been drafted in the same year. 

"What this says is that we have done a good job of recruiting good players," Coach Robbins said. "Yes, we've done some things to help guys develop and improve, but their accomplishments have come because they are good players that worked hard and made the right choices to get to this day."