Castle grad Cam Tilly was selected in the seventh round of the 2025 MLB Draft.
NEWBURGH — Cam Tilly could potentially become a professional baseball player this fall.
The Castle High School graduate was selected 223rd overall in the seventh round by the New York Mets in the Major League Baseball Draft on Monday, June 14. He is the first former Knight selected since 2021 and only the eighth in program history.
Tilly has been viewed as a prospect since his prep days. He was rated anywhere between the fourth and seventh rounds following his senior year at Castle in 2023, but went undrafted. The 6-foot-2 pitcher spent the past two years at Auburn University, but he remained on scouts' radar – Tilly was invited to the MLB Draft Combine this summer as a draft-eligible sophomore.
The Castle grad went 3-3 with a 5.48 earned average in 18 appearances (six starts) this spring at Auburn. Tilly had 58 strikeouts to 28 walks and a .202 batting average against in 46 innings. He has topped at 97 miles per hour on his fastball, but a low-80s slider and mid-80s splitter are deemed his top pitches.
"Even though he didn't have a ton of dominance in that role, (scouts) think he can start at the next level," MLB.com's Jim Callis said. "He's got high-spin rates on his fastball and breaking pitches. He's up to 97 on his fastball and has a feel for a changeup."
Tilly was one of the top pitchers in Castle history. He produced a spotless 11-0 record as a senior with a 0.66 ERA. Tilly struck out 118 batters in 64 innings and gave up just seven extra-base hits (all doubles). Facing 247 batters that spring, the right-hander only walked 15 with a 0.78 WHIP.
The former Courier & Press All-Metro Player of the Year won a Gold Medal in 2022 with USA Baseball's 18U National Team in the Baseball World Cup. Tilly was a multi-sport athlete at Castle as the starting quarterback for multiple seasons.
The next step for Tilly is choosing professional or college baseball. He could sign with the Mets or return to Auburn. The deadline for any player to sign a contract, unless they've exhausted their collegiate eligibility, is July 30.
The slot value for the 223rd overall pick is $254,000 – the actual signing bonus could be higher or lower depending on negotiations and New York's entire bonus pool.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: 2025 MLB Draft: Cam Tilly selected by New York Mets
Category: General Sports
