By: Joe Kraus, Sports Information Director | jkraus@niagaracc.suny.edu

*** ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF GEOFF SCHNEIDER PHOTOGRAPHY ***

SANBORN, N.Y. — After playing a major role in SUNY Niagara’s first NJCAA Division III World Series championship season, Dalton Harper now has Georgia on his mind.  

The right-handed sophomore catcher and Cheektowaga resident was selected as the 472nd overall pick (16th round) by the Atlanta Braves in the 2026 MLB Draft Saturday/Sunday in Philadelphia. Harper is the 11th player drafted directly from SUNY Niagara — formerly known as Niagara County Community College — since the program began in 1967. 

The first NJCAA Division III Player of the Year in program history, Harper had a monstrous sophomore season at the plate, recording a .556 batting average, 17 home runs, 91 runs batted in, 85 runs scored, and 105 hits in 59 games. Harper led all SUNY Niagara players in these categories this season and earned many accolades, including the NJCAA Division III World Series Most Valuable Player award. 

One of three NJCAA Division III All-Americans from SUNY Niagara this season, Harper finished in the top 10 in NJCAA Division III in hits (tied for first), batting average (second), runs batted in (fourth), home runs (tied for fourth) and runs scored (eighth). In 10 postseason games, Harper finished with a staggering .621 batting average (23-of-37), drilled three home runs, drove in 23 runs and scored an additional 16 times.

Harper received many honors from NJCAA Region III after playing a significant role in the Thunderwolves' 10th regional crown and subsequent World Series bid. Harper was named the regional tournament’s Most Valuable Player after going 12-for-19 with 15 runs batted in and 12 runs scored in six games and had a two-run home run in Game One of the championship series versus Herkimer May 16 in Auburn. 

Harper was recognized as the All-Region III Division III Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and, for a second time, was named a first-team all-region pick. Harper was also named to the Region III All-Glove team for his catching efforts, posting a .987 fielding percentage and throwing out four of the seven attempted stolen base-runners this season. 

Primarily the No. 3 hitter in SUNY Niagara’s batting order this season, Harper recorded 32 multi-hit games (55 career) and 26 multi-RBI games (36 career). Harper tallied a career-high four hits five times (six in career) and drove in a career-high six runs versus Erie Community College during the NJCAA Region III Final Four tournament on May 14 in Auburn. 

The 2026 recipient of the SUNY Niagara President’s Cup, Harper walks away as the Thunderwolves’ leader in career RBI (129), hits (172), doubles (39), triples (11), home runs (20) and single-season batting average (.556) and had a career .503 batting average (172 hits in 342 at-bats) over 108 games since the team's modern era began in 2007. Harper recorded his 20th and final career home run and passed former teammate Gavyn Boyle ‘25 during SUNY Niagara’s NJCAA Division III World Series opening-round win versus Northern Essex Community College May 23 in Johnson City, Tennessee.

With Atlanta's selection, Harper is the first player drafted from SUNY Niagara since Matt Barr was selected 149th overall (fifth round) by the Minnesota Twins in 2025. Harper is the ninth MLB Draft pick with SUNY Niagara/Niagara County Community College ties since Matt Clingersmith became head coach in 2007 (20 seasons). 

A 2023 graduate of Maryvale High School in Cheektowaga, N.Y., Harper is only the third position player drafted directly from SUNY Niagara. Harper joins catcher Matt Cross (North Tonawanda, N.Y./Starpoint High School) and third baseman Michael McPartlin. 

Cross was the 563rd overall pick (19th round) by the former Oakland Athletics in 2018. McPartlin was the 906th overall selection (56th round) in the June 1967 MLB Draft and was SUNY Niagara/Niagara County Community College’s first MLB draft pick. 

Since relocating from Milwaukee in 1966, the Atlanta Braves have won two World Series championships (1995, 2021), five National League Championship Series pennants (1991, 1992, 1995, 1999, 2021) and 18 National League East divisional titles. The Braves have featured notable players through the decades, including Hank Aaron, Ronald Acuña Jr., Freddie Freeman, Tom Glavine, Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones, Greg Maddux, Dale Murphy, John Smoltz and managers Bobby Cox and Brian Snitker.

Buffalo resident and South Park High School Warren Spahn recorded 363 wins with the organization's previous iterations in Boston and Milwaukee from 1942 to 1964 and is still the MLB's record holder for most wins by a left-handed pitcher. Spahn was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 1973 and died in 2003. 

Dalton Harper 2026 Game Log | Dalton Harper 2025 Game Log 

Dalton Harper Milestone Tracker:      

Recorded a hit in 91 of 108 career games (84.3%)

First hit: versus Jackson College, March 7, 2025 (13-2 win… SUNY Niagara debut)

100th career hit: versus Genesee Community College, March 26, 2026 (10-0 win, 3-hit game)

125th career Hit: versus Northern Essex Community College, May 23, 2026 (11-5 win… NJCAA Division III World Series first round)

150th career hit: versus Jefferson Community College, May 9, 2026 (NJCAA Region III sub-regionals, Game One)

172nd and final career hit: versus Rowan College South Jersey - Gloucester, May 27, 2026 (12-8 win… NJCAA Division III World Series championship, 3-hit game)

Recorded an RBI in 67 of 108 career games (62%)

First RBI: versus Rhode Island Community College, March 8, 2025 (7-4 win… Third career game)

100th career RBI: at Genesee Community College, April 8, 2026 (11-8 win) 

125th career RBI: versus Northern Essex Community College, May 23, 2026 (11-5 win… NJCAA Division III World Series first round)

129th and final career RBI: versus Dallas College Eastfield, May 26, 2026 (W 6-5 win… NJCAA Division III World Series semifinal)

First Home Run: versus Century College, March 12, 2025 (7-1 win, RussMatt Invitational… Ninth career game… Three total home runs in 2025 season)

10th career Home Run: versus Tompkins Cortland Community College, April 9, 2026 (11-2 win)

20th and final career Home Run: versus Northern Essex Community College, May 23, 2026 (11-5 win… NJCAA Division III World Series first round… 17 total home runs in 2026 season)

SUNY Niagara Baseball MLB Draft History, in order, since 1967:

14 players total selected with school ties, 11 directly picked from Niagara County Community College/SUNY Niagara

Alumni indicated in italics 

Robert Sekel, Pitcher, Baltimore Orioles, June 1971 MLB Secondary Phase Draft: 1st Round, 9th Overall

Michael Balogh, Pitcher, New York Mets, June 1969 MLB Secondary Phase Draft: 5th Round, 95th Overall

Jon Roth, Pitcher, Washington Senators, January 1969 MLB Draft: 7th Round, 134th Overall

Matt Barr, Pitcher, Minnesota Twins, 2025 MLB Draft: 5th Round, 149th Overall... Matt Clingersmith era

Ryan Birchard, Pitcher, Milwaukee Brewers, 2023 MLB Draft: 5th Round, 155th Overall... Matt Clingersmith era

Steve Fingerlow, Pitcher, New York Yankees, January 1983 MLB Draft: 8th Round, 192nd Overall ... Competed for Niagara County CC in 1981 and 1982 seasons

Zach Evans, Shortstop, San Diego Padres, 2024 MLB Draft: 9th Round, 270th Overall ... Spent two years at NCAA Division II Lenoir-Rhyne in 2023 and 2024 seasons... Matt Clingersmith era

Dalton Harper, Catcher, Atlanta Braves, 2026 MLB Draft: 16th Round, 472nd Overall... Matt Clingersmith era

Sean Jamieson, Infielder, Oakland Athletics, 2011 MLB Draft: 17th Round, 526th Overall... Spent two years at NCAA Division I Canisius in 2010 and 2011 seasons... Matt Clingersmith era

Brendan Morse, Pitcher, Texas Rangers, 2023 MLB Draft: 18th Round, 531st Overall... Matt Clingersmith era

Matt Cross, Catcher, Oakland Athletics, 2018 MLB Draft: 19th Round, 563rd Overall... Matt Clingersmith era

Christian Young, Pitcher, Cincinnati Reds, 2017 MLB Draft: 21st Round, 617th Overall... Matt Clingersmith era

Christian Young, Pitcher, Oakland Athletics, 2016 MLB Draft: 23rd Round, 682nd Overall... Matt Clingersmith era

Christian Barczykowski, Pitcher, Atlanta Braves, 2012 MLB Draft: 27th Round, 839th Overall... Matt Clingersmith era

Michael McPartlin, Third Baseman, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1967 June MLB Draft: 56th Round, 906th Overall ... Program's first MLB draft selection