Arizona Diamondbacks Select Nephew of NYC Council's GOP Leader in MLB Draft

Joann Ariola, the NYC Council Minority Leader, has made a surprising admission: she’s switching her baseball allegiance. Her nephew, Joe Ariola, was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the recent Major League Baseball Draft, and she’s ready to don a new cap.

“I’m changing my hat,” the Queens Republican stated, expressing her excitement to The Post. “I’m sorry. Blood is thicker.”

Joe Ariola, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound left-handed pitcher, was chosen in the seventh round as the 213th pick overall. This selection guarantees him a signing bonus of $274,100, nearly double what his aunt earns as a council member.

“He’s very special to me because he’s my godson, and it was hard work and determination that got him there,” Joann Ariola remarked. “He has achieved the dream of every Little Leaguer.”

Her enthusiasm didn’t stop there; she provided an impressive scouting report on her new favorite player. “He’s a lefty pitcher that can throw between 93 to 97 miles per hour, and he’s got a curveball that is next to unhittable.”

Born in Queens and raised in Malverne on Long Island, Joe Ariola has faced significant challenges throughout his baseball journey. His freshman year at Chaminade High School was remarkable; he allowed just one earned run while striking out 80 batters over 34 2/3 innings.

“Our eyes popped out when we first saw him pitch. It was like finding a winning lottery ticket you didn’t know was there,” recalled Joseph Caso, the high school’s baseball coach.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic canceled his sophomore season, and subsequent Tommy John surgery sidelined him for his final two high school seasons. Despite these setbacks, his talent earned him a scholarship to Wake Forest University.

During the MLB Draft broadcast, announcer Jim Callis described Ariola as an “upside play,” noting that while he issued too many walks at Wake Forest, “his stuff is really interesting.”

Ariola agreed with this assessment and expressed eagerness to join the Diamondbacks’ minor league system, where he aims to refine his control.

Although he did not get drafted by his childhood favorite team, the Yankees, he found it “special” to pitch for their former minor-league affiliate Trenton Thunder in last month’s MLB Draft League. “I had three starts and did well,” he said. “Great coaches over there. It was so super comfortable and they just welcomed me with open arms.”

Yet, he confirmed that his days of rooting for the Yankees are behind him. “It was definitely a thrill to get drafted by the Diamondbacks,” he concluded.