Tag: MLB.com

These two Gators are projected 2022 MLB draft first round picks

Florida’s outfield is filled with first-round talent, according to MLB.com.

Kevin O’Sullivan has developed several big-league talents at the University of Florida, but the Gators haven’t had a player selected in the first round of the MLB draft since 2018 when a trio heard their names called. That should change in the upcoming 2022 draft, though, as MLB.com projects Florida outfielders [autotag]Sterlin Thompson[/autotag] and [autotag]Jud Fabian [/autotag]to go at Nos. 25 (New York Yankees) and 28 (Houston Astros), respectively.

Fabian gambled on himself and turned down more than $2 million from the Boston Red Sox last season. If he goes in the first, even if it’s behind a teammate of his, that gamble will have paid off and he’ll be richer for it. Twenty-eighth isn’t too far from the second round, though, so he’ll have to keep up his SEC-leading home run pace to stay in the conversation.

The walks are up and strikeouts are down as well, but Fabian has struggled against SEC pitching. He’s batting just .176 against the conference and could continue to struggle as competition picks up. The weekend series against Missouri and South Carolina could be chances to boost those numbers, though.

Thompson has been one of Florida’s best hitters this season without question and plenty of teams like his left-handed bat. He’s slashing .351/.436/.568 and those numbers hardly drop off against the tougher competition. The power numbers are still coming along too with Thompson. He can hit the ball as far as anyone on the team but hasn’t been able to tap into it consistently just yet.

A strong postseason could bump him up a few picks, but Thomspon seems like a lock for the first round.

One has to imagine that [autotag]Hunter Barco[/autotag] would be on this list if not for Tommy John surgery. His return to Florida is still in question, but there’s money to be made if he does opt to come back for another year after recovering.

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MLB.com says Ohio State pitcher Seth Lonsway has best curveball of top prospects

Ohio State pitcher Seth Lonsway was ranked with having the best curveball of all top prospects heading into the MLB draft.

The College World Series is in full swing and the MLB draft is less than a month away. Many collegiate and high school players hope to hear their name called seeking to take another step in fulfilling dreams of making it to the big leagues.

One of those players is Ohio State pitcher Seth Lonsway. His numbers don’t look great on the surface, posting a 3-5 record with a 4.37 ERA. However, the southpaw hurler would strike out 98 batters in only 68 innings of work in 2021. And that is what is catching the attention of scouts.

MLB.com recently listed some of the best prospects heading into the draft, high school superlative style. Lonsway made the list with the honor of “best curveball”.

Jim Callis of MLB.com had some glowing remarks about the lefty and compared him to a former Major League All-Star with a killer curve.

“Lonsway rode his curveball to 98 strikeouts in 68 innings this spring, generating an impressive 52 percent swing-and-miss rate. He uses a high arm slot to stay on top of his bender, which combines low-80s power and depth, reminding some scouts of Barry Zito’s trademark curve.” Callis said

Lonsway is currently ranked as the 150th best prospect in the 2021 draft. However, with a dominant breaking ball and a heater that touches the mid-90’s, the Buckeye pitcher could end up being a steal for a team looking to add an arm to its pitching prospects.

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