Colorado Mammoth Add Three Players in NLL Dispersal Draft, Bolster Defensive Depth
(Denver, CO = Won Jeong) The Colorado Mammoth added three players in the NLL Dispersal Draft, strengthening their defensive depth while also acquiring a future draft asset.
The Mammoth selected defensemen Alex Pace and Andrew Borgatti, along with transition specialist Evan Messenger, during Tuesday’s National Lacrosse League Dispersal Draft.
Colorado opened the draft by selecting Pace, a right-handed defenseman who most recently played for the Philadelphia Wings, with the seventh overall pick in the first round.
The 28-year-old appeared in 17 regular-season games for Philadelphia last season, recording a career-high eight points on two goals and six assists. He also established a personal best with 126 loose balls while adding 10 caused turnovers and 13 blocked shots.
Originally selected by Philadelphia with the 20th overall pick in the second round of the 2019 NLL Entry Draft, Pace has spent his entire professional career with the Wings. In 101 career regular-season games, he has recorded 31 points on seven goals and 24 assists, along with 515 loose balls, 68 caused turnovers and 57 blocked shots.
The Mammoth also entered the draft holding the 19th overall pick but traded the second-round selection to the Saskatchewan Rush. In return, Colorado acquired Saskatchewan’s second-round pick in the 2027 NLL Entry Draft.
Colorado returned to the draft in the third round, selecting right-handed defenseman Andrew Borgatti with the 31st overall pick to further strengthen its defensive unit.
The 27-year-old spent last season with the Ottawa Black Bears, recording one assist, 37 loose balls, four caused turnovers and three blocked shots.
A native of Brampton, Ontario, Borgatti was originally selected by the New York Riptide with the 29th overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NLL Entry Draft. Through 83 career regular-season games, he has totaled 28 points on four goals and 24 assists, along with 195 loose balls, 26 caused turnovers and 21 blocked shots.
Colorado completed its draft by selecting veteran transition specialist Evan Messenger with the 43rd overall pick in the fourth round.
The 30-year-old left-hander appeared in 12 games for Philadelphia last season, recording three points on one goal and two assists. He also collected 24 loose balls, caused four turnovers and blocked four shots.
Messenger, originally selected by the Vancouver Stealth with the 39th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2015 NLL Entry Draft, has appeared in 65 career regular-season games. He has recorded 33 points on 10 goals and 23 assists, along with 125 loose balls, 26 caused turnovers and 21 blocked shots.
With the three selections, the Mammoth added experience and depth to the back end with Pace and Borgatti while bringing in another transition option in Messenger. Colorado also added a future asset by turning its second-round dispersal draft pick into a second-round selection in the 2027 NLL Entry Draft.
