Padres bet on high upside arm from Mike Mussina's developmental pipeline

It never hurts to have the blessing from a Hall of Famer, and (partially) for that, the San Diego Padres were the first team to select a Division 2 player in the 2025 MLB Draft.

They took right-handed pitcher Jaxon Dalena out of Shippensburg University in the sixth round (190th overall) following a season with 99 strikeouts in 83 innings, including a pair of double-digit strikeout performances.

But it wasn't just Dalena's solid numbers that got him drafted. He was mentored by none other than Hall of Fame pitcher Mike Mussina. When you're working with an all-time great, that type of standout factor will definitely play well come draft time, which piqued the Padres' front office interest.

“That’s a great kid with starter actions and stuff taking another jump. We knew he was going to be a target for us," Padres' Chris Kemp said on MLB.com.

San Diego Padres draft Division 2 pitcher Jaxon Dalena in sixth round

The Padres selected nine pitchers in this season's draft, and Dalena was the third arm off the board following Kruz Schoolcraft in the first round, and Michael Salina in the fourth round. Dalena was the second of five right-handers who the Friars drafted, too.

So, how did Mike Mussina link up with Dalena? Mussina lives in Montoursville, Pennsylvania, which is nearby Dalena's home of Cogan Station. They both went to Montoursville High School, so that hometown connection surely boded well for Dalena and his preparation for pro ball.

Mussina is a five-time MLB All-Star, seven-time Gold Glove Award winner, and has over 2,800 career strikeouts. He amassed an 82.8 career bWAR, which is the fifth-most among any starting pitcher who tossed in the 2000s, trailing only Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, and Pedro Martinez. That is elite company, and Dalena sure took advantage of being in the presence of Mike Mussina, learning as much as possible to make himself a draftable arm.