Ten former Fond du Lac Dock Spiders players were selected in the recent 2023 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, breaking the franchise record for the most selections in a single draft (8, 2022). The first Dock Spider selected this year was Ryan Lasko (Rutgers). Lasko, a member of the 2021 Dock Spiders team, was selected in the second round with the 41st pick by the Oakland Athletics. Lasko’s selection marked the highest ever for a Dock Spider, surpassing shortstop Chandler Simpson, who was selected in the second round with the 70th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2022. Kemp Alderman (Ole Miss) was also taken in the second round with the 47th overall pick by the Miami Marlins, making Alderman the second-highest Dock Spider ever drafted.  

In addition to Lasko and Alderman, Alberto Rios (2021-22), Carlson Reed (2021), Tavian Josenberger (2021), Calvin Harris (2021), Jay Harry (2021), Jake Brooks (2020), Riley Frey (2021), and Ryan Ignoffo (2021) were all selected. Of the ten draft picks, two former Dock Spiders received Northwoods League All-Star honors. Carlson Reed was named to the 2021 NWL All-Star Game and Kemp Alderman was named a 2022 NWL Post Season All-Star. 

Fond du Lac’s 10 draft selections this year ranked second in the Northwoods League, behind only the La Crosse Loggers (11). The Dock Spiders ranked first in draft picks through the first six rounds of the draft, while the league saw 90 former league players selected over the three-day draft. 

Since 2017, the first year of the Dock Spiders, 38 former players have been drafted including current Miami Marlins catcher Nick Fortes. Since the draft was shortened from 40 rounds to 20 during the 2021 season, the ten selections mark the most in a draft since the change. Eight of the Dock Spiders taken in this year’s draft were a part of the 2021 team, while two members were taken from the 2022 team, and one was selected from the 2020 team.