After recording the best offensive season in school history, Fairfield University Baseball graduate Charli capped his historic success by realizing a lifelong dream as he was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 19th round of the 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Pagliarini becomes the 21st Stag all-time selected in the draft and the fourth in the last four seasons.
"Our coaching staff and athletic department here at Fairfield University is very proud and honored to have Charlie Pagliarini drafted in the 19th round," Head Coach Bill Currier said. "It shows the hard-work and determination with the time Charlie has put into baseball and in the MAAC with the career that he's had. We're very happy and excited about his accomplishments and where he goes from here."
"It's always been a dream of mine, so excited to get the opportunity!" Pagliarini said. "This means the world to me and can't wait for this next step in my life."
Pagliarini produced an historic 2023 spring season that saw him break six program records highlighted by an outstanding 24 homers and 97 RBI, the most in a single season in MAAC history. His 1.76 RBI per game led the entire nation and ranks 13th all-time in NCAA history. He finished the year ranked third in the country with a .851 slugging percentage, third in RBI, sixth in on-base percentage (.528), and 11th in homers, all of which broke the program's single season records. His 24 homers were also the second most by any MAAC athlete in conference history.
For his historic success, Pagliarini has been inundated with accolades from around the region and the nation. He became the first player in program history be named to an All-American team as he was selected to the third team by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. He was also named the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) Player of the Year, the ECAC Player of the Year, as well as receiving an ABCA/Rawlings All-Region First Team selection.
He won the conference's Triple Crown with his .399 batting average to go along with his league-leading home runs and RBI. He shattered the conference's single-season record in RBI that had stood for over a decade, besting the mark by 16.
Pagliarini graduated as the program's all-time home run king with 40 long balls while also holding the school's all-time standard for slugging percentage (.637). He also ranked second all-time in on-base percentage (.455), third in RBI (147), third in walks (113) and eighth in total bases (313).
Pagliarini helped the Stags to their third-straight MAAC Regular Season Championship, becoming the first MAAC program to win three-straight regular season titles outright. Fairfield also won 30 games for the fourth-straight season, winning 34 regular season contests, the most in program history.
He becomes the 21st Stag to be drafted in its program history and the seventh in the 12 years under Coach Currier. He is also the 32nd Stag to be selected by an MLB organization. Pagliarini becomes the first Stag since Mark Bordonaro to be chosen by the Seattle Mariners.