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Round | Overall | Name | Position | School | Comments |
Round 11 | 338 | Connor Jones | LHP | Georgia | The six-foot-one, 195-pound left-hander ranks 399th overall and 19th in the state of Georgia, according to Baseball America. After two seasons in the bullpen, Jones moved to the rotation in 2016, pitching to a 4.66 ERA in 75.1 innings where he struck out 74 batters against 37 walks. He sits 93-95 mph with erratic command, but is athletic with a functional delivery. His breaking ball is short and his changeup needs some work, though his arm strength gives him some potential. |
Round 12 | 368 | Taylor Widener | RHP | South Carolina | Ranked 258th overall and seventh in the state of South Carolina by Baseball America, the six-foot, 200-pound righty is said to have electric stuff, but never found consistency in his collegiate career. He has been a closer and a weekend starter for the Gamecocks, pitching to a 4.34 ERA in 47.2 innings and eight starts. Widener sits 90-93 mph with a repeatable delivery, but has touched as high as 97 mph with a hard mid-80s slider as his main off-speed pitch. Although his K-rate has been 12.3 and 10.57 in the last two seasons, he's likely destined for the bullpen since he had ulnar nerve transposition surgery in the fall and has had knee and back issues in the past. |
Round 13 | 398 | Brian Trieglaff | RHP | Texas Christian | The six-foot-one, 190-pound right-handed reliever throws a fastball that can reach 93 mph with a real ability to pitch. In 2016, he pitched to a 2.41 ERA in 41 innings, but saw his K/9 drop to 7.24 after two seasons where it was above 10. The Baseball Draft Report also ranked him as the no. 16 pitcher in the Big-12 earlier in the season. |
Round 14 | 428 | Jordan Scott | CF | IMG Academy | The six-foot, 215-pound switch-hitter was committed to West Virginia last year, but hasn't played for them. He was a 2015 Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American and Southeast - All Region 2nd Team. Scott is also a highly-regarded shortstop prospect, so he might get a shot there as well. |
Round 15 | 458 | Tony Hernandez | LHP | Monroe Community College | The ace of his college team, Hernandez has a 10-1 record with a 1.97 ERA and 77/22 K/BB rate in 73 innings this year. The six-foot-three lefty previously transferred from Lackawanna College, and is considered to be the top JUCO player from the state of New York in the draft this year, according to The Baseball Player Report. |
Round 16 | 488 | Zach Linginfelter | RHP | Sevier County High School |
The six-foot-five 220-pounder was a potential first-rounder heading into the season, but his commitment to Tennessee likely kept teams away. Baseball America has him ranked 107th overall and fifth in the state of Tennessee. His fastball sits in the low 90s, but he can hit 95 mph, and his curveball shows slurvy break from a three-quarters arm slot. Linginfelter has a thick, full frame with an athletic, but a delivery that might cause issues later on. Despite missing some time with mono early on in the season, he still maintained a 1.60 ERA with 113 strikeouts. It looks like he's going to college no matter what but we'll see. |
Round 17 | 518 | Mandy Alvarez | 3B | Eastern Kentucky | Alvarez is a six-foot, 205-pound senior third baseman who has moved around a lot in his collegiate career. He started with Florida International before moving to Miami-Dade College, and then spent his last two years with Eastern Kentucky. Ranked 483rd overall and 18th in the state of Kentucky by Baseball America, he works the whole field and has a knack for creating difficult at-bats for opposing pitchers. He has shown average power and is an average runner. He is fringy at third with an average arm and playable hands, but he likely profiles better at second base once he turns pro. |
Round 18 | 548 | Greg Weissert | RHP | Fordham | The six-foot-two, 215-pound righty throws three pitches for strikes, including a 88-93 mph fastball, 78-79 cutter, and a mid-70s curveball. The junior pitched to a 4.04 ERA and 9.46 K/9 in 78 innings during his first full season in the starting rotation, earning him the ranking as the top pitcher in the Atlantic-10 Conference, according to The Baseball Draft Report. |
Round 19 | 578 | Evan Alexander | CF | Hebron High School | The six-foot-two, 175-pounder is a left-handed hitter who made the District 6A First-Team for outfield and 2016 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American Texas Region. |
Round 20 | 608 | Miles Chambers | RHP | Cal St Fullerton |
Chambers is a six-foot-two, 200-pound reliever with a fastball just above 90 mph. The Baseball Draft Report has him as the 11th-best pitcher in the Big West this year. He's been incredibly effective in 2016, pitching to 0.98 ERA with a 21/4 K/BB rate in 27.2 innings. His favorite team is the Yankees! |