Athletics select Lake Norman Charter alumnus Jacob Dudan 83rd overall in MLB Draft

Lake Norman Charter has its first Major League Draft pick.

Jacob Dudan was selected 83rd overall in Saturday's third round of the 2026 MLB Draft by the (soon-to-be-Las Vegas) Athletics.

The right-handed pitcher is the first player from a North Carolina high school selected in this year’s draft.

Dudan, who was an honorable mention HighSchoolOT all-state pick his senior year with the Knights, was a star for N.C. State the last three seasons.

His junior year came to an abrupt end with a torn UCL and Tommy John surgery, but he had 62 strikeouts and just 12 walks in 50 innings with a 3.60 ERA.

As a sophomore he had 41 strikeouts in 30 innings and was a freshman all-american after leading the Wolfpack with 27 bullpen appearances.

In high school, Dudan's senior year was easily his best, posting a 1.54 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 45 and 1/3 innings while holding batters to a .167 batting average.

He had 171 career strikeouts in just 109 and 2/3 innings and a career oppositing batting average of .184.