Tag: 2024 MLB draft

Duke baseball coach Chris Pollard reacts to Jonathan Santucci getting drafted

After the New York Mets drafted Duke southpaw Jonathan Santucci in the second round, Chris Pollard had some kind things to say about his star.

The New York Mets got a good one in [autotag]Jonathan Santucci[/autotag] on Sunday.

One of the two MLB franchises in the Big Apple snagged the Duke left-hander in the second round of this year’s draft, and Blue Devils coach Chris Pollard couldn’t be happier for the former All-ACC hurler.

“Special dude,” Pollard wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “Elite combination of physical ability, competitiveness, and work ethic. Elite athlete, but also a grinder. #bluecollar.”

Santucci finished his junior year with a 6-1 record and a 3.41 ERA, striking out 90 batters in 58.0 innings on the hill. He held his opponents to a .188 batting average, and opposing teams managed just a .208 average against him over his entire collegiate career.

His best game from the 2024 season came against Akron in his third start of the year, tossing six innings and allowing a single hit without a run. He struck out 14 batters that night, one of three starts with double-digit strikeouts this year.

Santucci nursed a rib injury during Duke’s run through the ACC Tournament, but the injury isn’t expected to inhibit his first season in the pros after he returned to the mound during the Norman Regional.

San Francisco Giants select Alabama LHP Greg Farone with No. 208 overall pick in 2024 MLB draft

With the No. 208 overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft, the San Francisco Giants selected Alabama left-handed pitcher Greg Farone.

Left-handed pitcher Greg Farone became the third Alabama Crimson Tide baseball player to be selected in the 2024 MLB draft. Farone was selected in the seventh round with the No. 208 overall pick by the San Francisco Giants.

Farone spent one season in Tuscaloosa. The New York native spent time at both Herkimer College and Louisville prior to arriving in Tuscaloosa. In his lone season in Tuscaloosa, Farone recorded a 5-3 record and a 4.94 earned run average. He pitched 74.2 innings pitched and struck out 73 batters.

Alabama will have to replace its Day 1 and Day 2 starters next season. Ben Hess was drafted in the first round by the New York Yankees.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding Alabama baseball players in the 2024 MLB draft.

Former Texas Tech star Gavin Kash confirms to commitment to Texas A&M

According to his post on X, Gavin Kash is all in transferring to Texas A&M next season

With all the chaos surrounding Jim Schlossnagle’s shocking exit to take over rival Texas, new Texas A&M baseball head coach Michael Earley has been making moves through the transfer portal.

Landing several key commitments to the roster, only former Penn outfielder Wyatt Henseler can slightly trump the future addition of former Texas Tech star hitter Gavin Kash. Their combination with the return of Jace LaViolette and Gavin Grahovac makes the Aggies’ lineup the best in the nation.

With the 2024 MLB Draft entering its final day on Tuesday, five Aggies have been drafted, led by outfielder Braden Montgomery, who the Boston Red Sox selected with the 12th overall pick. Kash, who could still hear his name called on Day 3, recently stated on X that he is still committed to transferring to Texas A&M.

In his last two seasons combined with the Red Raiders, Kash hit 41 home runs. He is coming off an impressive 2023 season in which he slashed .300/.365/.561 with 15 home runs and 51 RBIs. With 2024 first baseman Ted Burton departing the program, Kash will likely contend for his starting spot next season.

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Brandon Neely selected by Boston Red Sox in third round of 2024 MLB draft

Florida right-hander Brandon Neely was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the third round of the 2024 MLB draft on Monday.

Florida right-hander [autotag]Brandon Neely[/autotag] is set to begin his professional baseball career after being picked 86th overall by the Boston Red Sox in the 2024 MLB draft.

Neely was considered a likely Day 2 pick for most of the season, but a brilliant performance in the postseason moved him up most draft boards. Although he snuck outside of the first two rounds, Neely ended up a third-round selection with a slot value of $878,800. The Red Sox have a chance to sign him for a bit less, too.

He is the 222nd draft pick in Florida program history and the 107th pick of the [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] era. He’s also the 24th O’Sullivan-coached pitcher to go in the first five rounds.

Neely’s career at Florida

As a freshman, it looked like Neely would compete for a spot in the weekend rotation. He made 10 starts, mostly in the midweek but some in the postseason, across 21 appearances while maintaining a 3.76 ERA.

A move to the bullpen took some convincing, but Neely immediately became one of the conference’s best closers. He ended his sophomore campaign as the SEC leader in saves (13) and upped his strikeout rate to an elite 30.1%.

Neely saved his best performances for the final season of his Gators career, though. He delivered seven multi-inning performances in the NCAA Tournament, five of which were scoreless. He earned the win over Oklahoma State in Regionals and shut down Clemson in the Super Regionals.

Despite posting an elevated ERA of 5.13 in 2024, he somehow raised his strikeout rate to 31.4% and became more of a groundball pitcher, which pleases scouts.

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Kansas City Royals draft Duke pitcher Nick Conte in the eighth round of 2024 MLB draft

The Kansas City Royals drafted Duke reliever Nick Conte in the eighth round of the 2024 MLB draft on Monday.

Three Duke Blue Devils have come off the board in the 2024 MLB draft, and all of them call the pitcher’s mound home.

One day after the New York Mets drafted southpaw Jonathan Santucci and hours after the Seattle Mariners took Charlie Beilenson, the Kansas City Royals took right-handed reliever Nick Conte in the eighth round.

Duke fans would be forgiven for not expecting Conte as the third Blue Devil off the board. The reliever offers promising upside with his velocity, but he only made 20 appearances across the last four seasons in Durham. He totaled 18.1 innings across his four-year career, 10.0 of which came in 2021.

He (presumably) leaves Durham with a career ERA of 5.89 and a 3-1 record. He trimmed his ERA down to a career-low 4.50 in 2024, striking out eight batters in six innings. He notched his only decision of the season, a win against Miami, back in April, and he only gave up five hits and three walks for the year.

Conte surrendered an opposing batting average of .209 in college, a beneficial addition for a Royals team already within the top 10 in team ERA for the 2024 season.

Chicago White Sox pick Aggies senior catcher Jackson Appel in 6th round of 2024 MLB Draft

Catcher Jackson Appel joined the group of drafted Aggies on Monday as he was selected by the Chicago White Sox with the 169th overall pick.

As DJ Khaled likes to say, “Another one!” Six Texas A&M baseball players have been selected in the 2024 MLB Draft thus far.

Senior catcher Jackson Appel joined the group on Monday as he was chosen in the sixth round by the Chicago White Sox with the 169th overall pick. Two selections prior his batterymate, junior right-handed pitcher Tanner Jones, was picked by the Kansas City Royals.

Appel and Jones join juniors, outfielder Braden Montgomery and RHP Chris Cortez, sophomore LHP Ryan Prager and 2024 shortstop commit Wyatt Sanford as fellow Aggies draftees. At 12th overall to the Boston Red Sox, Montgomery became the highest draft pick in Texas A&M program history.

Cortez was selected in the second round by the Los Angeles Angels at 45th overall. Two picks later, the Pittsburgh Pirates chose Sanford. In the third round at 81st overall, Prager joined his teammate in Anaheim.

Appel comes from a family of athletes. His mom Sharon played basketball at SMU and his grandpa Jerry hooped at Arkansas.

Jackson graduated from Memorial High School in Houston. He spent his first three years in college at Penn where he racked up the accolades.

Appel was an All-Ivy League second team selection in 2022, then made the first team the following season. He was also a member of the 2023 Auburn Regional All-Tournament team.

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Kansas City Royals select Texas A&M junior RHP Tanner Jones in 6th round of 2024 MLB Draft

The junior right-hander pitched 48.1 innings with a 3-1 record, 47 strikeouts and 19 walks in 15 appearances and 12 starts for the Aggies.

As DJ Khaled likes to say, “Another one!” Six Texas A&M baseball players have been selected in the 2024 MLB Draft thus far.

Junior right-handed pitcher Tanner Jones joined the group on Monday as he was selected in the sixth round by the Kansas City Royals with the 167th overall pick. Two picks later his batterymate, senior catcher Jackson Appel, was chosen by the Chicago White Sox.

Jones and Appel join juniors, outfielder Braden Montgomery and RHP Chris Cortez, sophomore LHP Ryan Prager and 2024 shortstop commit Wyatt Sanford as fellow Aggies draftees. At 12th overall to the Boston Red Sox, Montgomery became the highest draft pick in Texas A&M program history.

Cortez was selected in the second round by the Los Angeles Angels at 45th overall. Two picks later, the Pittsburgh Pirates chose Sanford. In the third round at 81st overall, Prager joined his teammate in Anaheim.

Jones is listed at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds. He graduated from Thorsby High School in Alabama before attending Jacksonville State for his first two years of college.

The junior right-hander made 15 appearances and 12 starts in 2024 for the Aggies, tallying a 3-1 record. He pitched 48.1 innings and recorded a 6.33 ERA with 47 strikeouts and 19 walks.

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LSU starting shortstop Michael Braswell III announces return to Tigers on social media

LSU baseball got another big boost following Day 2 of the draft on Saturday.

After going unselected in the first 10 rounds of the 2024 MLB draft, LSU starting shortstop [autotag]Michael Braswell III[/autotag] announced on social media that he will be returning to Baton Rouge for his senior season.

The Mableton, Georgia, native was seen as a player to keep an eye on in the draft, but after he fell, he’ll join a 2025 roster that features the nation’s No. 1 transfer portal class and got some nice boosts on Sunday when top-15 high school prospects [autotag]William Schmidt[/autotag] and [autotag]Cade Arrambide[/autotag] announced they would be withdrawing from the draft and attending LSU.

A transfer from South Carolina, Braswell started 64 games at shortstop in 2024 and finished the season batting .311 with 12 doubles, four home runs and 36 RBI.

LSU will have to replace some key pieces next season, but that’s now one less position coach [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] has to worry about entering 2025.

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LSU College World Series hero Nate Ackenhausen drafted by Royals in Round 10

Nate Ackenhausen is joining the Royals organization after two seasons in LSU’s bullpen.

With the 287th pick of the 2024 MLB draft, the [autotag]Kansas City Royals[/autotag] selected [autotag]Nate Ackenhausen,[/autotag] a left-handed pitcher from LSU.

“Nasty” Nate Ackenhausen has heard his name come off the board in the 10th round of the 2024 MLB Draft as Nate will be headed to join the Kansas City Royals organization.

Nate pitched for LSU for two seasons and finished with a career record of 5-5 and a 4.76 ERA. Ackenhausen struck out 95 hitters while only walking 36 in 73.2 total innings of work. He’s headed to Baton Rouge to a great organization in Kansas City that is looking to get back to their winning ways.

In his senior season at LSU, Ackenhausen did not have the best year with a 3-4 record and a 5.65 ERA. Although he did not have a great season, he still has great stuff. He will head to the minor leagues to continue mastering his craft and hopefully, we will see him in the MLB one day.

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LSU reliever Fidel Ulloa goes to Rockies in 7th round of 2024 MLB draft

Fidel Ulloa showed quite a bit of promise in his one year in LSU’s bullpen.

With the 198th pick of the 2024 MLB draft, the [autotag]Colorado Rockies[/autotag] selected [autotag]Fidel Ulloa[/autotag], a right-handed pitcher from LSU.

Ulloa transferred to LSU after spending two seasons at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California. Last season, Ulloa finished with a 2-2 record and a 4.63 ERA. He struck out 26 hitters and walked 11 over 23.1 innings of work.

Ulloa was a bullpen pitcher for the Tigers and he showed a lot of promise in his only year at LSU. Now, he has been drafted in the seventh round by the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies play at Coors Field which is known for being a hitter’s park due to the high elevation.

It is a difficult task to pitch there but Ulloa has the skills to do it. He will start out in the minor leagues for the Rockies and have to work his way up to the big leagues.

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