Two local Hart High School graduates, Matt Quintanar and Chris Downs, were drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres, respectively, in the 2026 MLB Draft and added their names into the long list of alumni who represent the baseball program on the professional level.
Quintanar, who graduated from Hart in 2022, was selected by the Phillies in the 15th round with the 489th overall pick.
In the 2026 season, Quintanar spent his junior season with the Texas Tech Red Raiders and shined in his first season with the Scarlet and Black.
Quintanar ended his junior season with a fielding percentage of .990 and hit .323 with six home runs and 46 runs driven in.
Prior to Quintanar’s time in Lubbock, the Hart High grad spent his sophomore season at Blinn College in Brenham, Texas, and appeared in 62 games along with 57 starts. Quintanar helped Blinn College return to the JUCO World Series for the third straight season in 2025 and scored multiple runs in three of the four games.
During Quintanar’s time at Hart, the Hawk alumnus was named as a top 100 player in the state of Arizona by Perfect Game and spent his freshman season of collegiate baseball at Centra Arizona College.
Downs, who graduated from Hart High in the class of 2023, was selected by the Padres in the 19th round with the 575th overall pick out of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Downs spent the past three seasons with the Mustangs and posted a 5.40 earned run average with 57 appearances.
In the 2026 season, Downs threw for 47.2 innings pitched and earned one save while striking out 49 batters.
Downs was also 6-0 with three saves in 2025 and pitched 6.1 innings in relief in Cal Poly’s 11-inning 7-6 win over Utah Valley in the NCAA Eugene Regional.
During Downs’ time with Hart High, the 2023 graduate was a four-year varsity letter winner and pitched in 12 games as a senior, with a 2.69 earned run average over 23.2 innings pitched.
Both Downs and Quintanar are the latest Hart High grads to be drafted by the MLB and join the likes of Tyler Glasnow, Trevor Brown, Trevor Bauer, James Shields, and Mike Montgomery, who represented Hart baseball on the professional level.
