Mark Quatrani’s standout season at Notre Dame ends with selection by the Padres in the MLB Draft
NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- Mark Quatrani’s standout season at Notre Dame ends with selection by the Padres in the MLB Draft.
Mark Quatrani spent just one season at Notre Dame, but it was enough to leave a lasting impression on the Fighting Irish program.
The catcher was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 18th round with the 545th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft after a breakout senior season in South Bend.
Notre Dame head coach Shawn Stiffler said the draft process was more nerve-racking than expected. While teammate Jack Radel came off the board in the first round, Stiffler believed Quatrani had the talent to hear his name called much earlier.
Quatrani transferred to Notre Dame after beginning his collegiate career at Cornell and immediately became one of the ACC’s top offensive catchers.
He batted .376 with 15 home runs, 66 RBIs and 80 hits during his lone season with the Fighting Irish. Behind the plate, he also threw out 15 attempted base stealers.
His production ranked among the nation’s top 50 in batting average, RBIs and hits. Quatrani earned second-team All-ACC honors and was named a semifinalist for the Buster Posey Collegiate Catcher of the Year Award.
Stiffler said Quatrani’s consistency stood out from the moment he arrived on campus.
“With Mark, he hit from the word go for us, and every week it was like, ‘OK, is he going to start slumping?’ And he just never did,” Stiffler said. “You get into ACC play and you play those type of caliber arms, it just never slowed him down. It got to a point where I was like, ‘OK, this is a professional hitter. He’s ready for the next level.’”
Stiffler said he is grateful Quatrani chose to spend his final collegiate season at Notre Dame and believes the Padres found exceptional value by selecting him in the 18th round.
Although Quatrani spent only one year with the Fighting Irish, Stiffler said his blue-collar work ethic made a lasting impact on the program. He compared stepping into the everyday catcher role as a transfer to a quarterback joining a new football team, noting that Quatrani handled the transition seamlessly while becoming one of the team’s most dependable leaders.