Los Angeles Angels become fourth MLB team to draft a Duke pitcher with Fran Oschell III

The Los Angeles Angels became the fourth MLB team to draft a Duke pitcher on Tuesday when they snagged Fran Oschell III in the 12th round.

For the fourth time in three days, an MLB team snagged one of Duke’s pitchers on Tuesday.

During the 12th round of the 2024 MLB draft, the Los Angeles Angels drafted right-hander Fran Oschell III.

After an All-American season in 2023 when he finished with a 0.69 ERA and a 6-0 record in 22 relief appearances, Oschell appeared on every preseason First-Team All-American squad. After all, he averaged 1.68 strikeouts per inning against just 0.92 combined walks and hits per inning.

However, the 2024 season, while impressive, didn’t measure up to his star-making sophomore campaign. He made 22 trips to the mound again, but he only lasted 23.1 innings as opposed to his 39.1 from one season ago. His ERA rose to 6.94 and he ended with no wins and three losses on his ledger.

In all fairness, however, he didn’t give up an earned run in 14 of his 22 appearances. His ERA was 4.43 until he gave up five runs against North Carolina in the final regular-season series and three runs against Oklahoma at the Norman Regional.

His opposing batting average stayed low, only surrendering an opposing batting average of .198, but his strikeouts per nine innings dropped from 15.1 to 8.5.

Oschell joins Jonathan Santucci (second round, New York Mets), Charlie Beilenson (fifth round, Seattle Mariners), and Nick Conte (eighth round, Kansas City Royals) as Blue Devils draft picks in 2024.