Mike Nolan, a baseball prospect from Yonkers, NY, who was drafted by the Oakland A’s in last years draft, has tragically died as a result of a drive by shooting last month. Mike had been hospitalized in the Bronx since the September 18th shooting.
@IamJoeSports
Nolan was with friends at a Burger King across from the Cross County Shopping Center when five or six shots were fired at their car.
Police believe the shooting may have been related to an argument two days earlier about a drag race. Police Commissioner Charles Gardner said at the time that investigators believed the shooter was targeting someone in the group, but were not sure if that was Nolan or someone else.
Unfortunately there have been no arrests and police are saying the investigation is ongoing.
Nolan, a pitcher, attended Oklahoma City University and was drafted by the Oakland A’s in the 18th round of the 2014 amateur draft, his parents said.
Donna Nolan said Thursday she has “all the confidence in the world” that police “are going to get them, or him, or whoever it is. We’ve just been focusing our attention on Michael and other three sons for now.”
As a senior at Saunders in 2009, Nolan led the baseball team to a program-record 15 wins. The 6-foot-7 left-hander wasn’t considered a hot commodity by colleges, but he continued to seek out opportunities.
He bounced around small colleges in Texas and Oklahoma, fought back from Tommy John surgery and developed himself into a pro prospect. His efforts were rewarded in June 2014 when he was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 18th round (552nd overall) in the Major League Baseball Draft.
The Oakland A’s sent flowers to the Nolans’ home and said “he’ll always be part of the Oakland A’s family,” Donna Nolan said.
The team on Thursday tweeted this statement from A’s general manager David Forst: “On behalf of the entire A’s organization I send my deepest condolences to Donna and Jimmy Nolan. Michael will always be a member of the A’s family and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends for their tragic loss.”
