Most interesting picks from 2022 Draft Day 3

The 2022 MLB Draft concluded with rounds 11-20 on Tuesday, with several of MLB Pipeline's Top 250 Draft prospects getting selected throughout the day.

Keep an eye on these names: Nine players selected for the 2022 MLB All-Star Game were drafted after the 10th round. Here's a breakdown of some of the most notable picks from Day 3.

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Round 11

Pick 9 (325th overall): Royals, David Sandlin, RHP, Oklahoma (Ranked No. 206 Draft prospect by MLB Pipeline): Kansas City gets a pitcher with some NCAA postseason success after Sandlin fanned 10 in a Big 12 tournament win over Kansas State, defeated Florida in the regionals and struck out 12 against Texas A&M in the College World Series. The 6-foot-4 right-hander has just average 91-93 mph velocity but stands out for his above-average slider and curveball.

Pick 12 (328th overall): Angels, Caden Dana, RHP, Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) HS (No. 119): The Halos may have some work to do to keep Dana from honoring his commitment to Kentucky. The Garden State native is already up to 95 mph with his fastball and features a promising mid-70s curveball. There’s some projection remaining in his 6-foot-4 frame too, meaning the stuff could tick up further in future seasons.

Pick 16 (332nd overall): Phillies, Emaarion Boyd, OF, South Panola (Miss.) HS (No. 245): Should Boyd join Philadelphia, he’ll instantly become one of the Phils’ fastest prospects. His home-to-first times have been clocked at less than four seconds, and that’s from the right side. His hitting and fielding need refinement, especially when it comes to avoiding selling out for power and staying within himself at the plate.

Pick 18 (334th overall): Athletics, Christian Oppor, LHP, Columbus (Wis.) HS (No. 227): Still only 17 for four more days, Oppor already shows a full bevy of pitches with a fastball, curveball and slider out of a 6-foot-1 frame, and there should be more velo as he adds good weight in the years to come. He is considered very signable with a commitment to Gulf Coast State (Fla.) Junior College.

Pick 27 (343rd overall): Astros, Ryan Clifford, OF, Crossroads FLEX HS (N.C.) (No. 92): Clifford is the first member of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 to come off the board in Day 3. The left-handed-hitting outfielder has been a constant for US national teams over the last half-decade because of his sweet left-handed swing that helps him hit for average and power. He’ll head to powerhouse Vanderbilt if the Astros can’t sign him.

Round 12

Pick 2 (348th overall): D-backs, Malachi Witherspoon, RHP, Fletcher (Fla.) HS (No. 148): Witherspoon’s velocity started to pick up this spring, and he’ll now touch 95 mph and sit around 92-93 with the heater. His plus curveball certainly caught Arizona’s eye as it averages around 3,000 rpm, and those two pitches alone could make him a quality pro prospect in time.

Pick 8 (354th overall): Twins, Nate Baez, C, Arizona State (No. 236): Previously on the team as a super-utilityman, Baez settled into the main catching role for the Sun Devils in 2021 and never looked back. He hit .319/.403/.562 with 10 homers over 57 games as a junior this spring, putting him squarely on the Draft board. Baez might just be average defensively, but the Twins lack a catcher among their Top 30 Prospects, aiding his chances at sticking behind the plate.

Pick 19 (365th overall): Braves, Justin Janas, 1B, Illinois: Janas won the Big Ten batting title with a .391 average in 2021 and followed that up with a solid .349/.493/.537 line as a junior this spring. He leaves the Fighting Illini with a .494 OBP over his three seasons on campus.

Pick 21 (367th overall): Cardinals, Michael Curialle, OF/3B, UCLA (No. 247): Curialle is listed as a shortstop in the Draft tracker but seems more likely to head to third or a corner outfield spot. He hit .319/.395/.479 with five homers in 58 games this spring and posted a 1.003 OPS in 13 games with Trenton of the MLB Draft League just before this move to St. Louis.

Round 13

Pick 1 (377th overall): Orioles, Jared Beck, LHP, Saint Leo University: The Giants’ Sean Hjelle made headlines when he debuted on a Major League mound at 6-foot-11, tying Jon Rauch as the tallest player in MLB history. Beck can one-up them both, should he make The Show. The Saint Leo southpaw checks in at an even 7 feet. Beck had a 3.95 ERA with 105 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings this spring for the Division II program. More >

Pick 4 (380th overall): Pirates, Miguel Fulgencio, LHP, Cowley County (Kan.) CC: Fulgencio first entered the NCAA ranks as an Oklahoma State running back, only to teach himself how to pitch by watching YouTube videos during the pandemic break. After transferring to a Kansas junior college, he throws 90-96 mph with his fastball and features a tight slider as a relief arm.

Pick 5 (381st overall): Nationals, Marquis Grissom Jr., RHP, Georgia Tech: Marquis Grissom started his career with six seasons with the Montreal Expos. His son joins the same franchise three decades later. The younger Grissom fanned 57 over 61 innings as a Georgia Tech starter this season.

Pick 11 (387th overall): Tigers, Dom Johnson, OF, Kansas State (No. 239): Johnson could have gone in the 2020 Draft if it hadn’t been shortened to five rounds. He was one of the fastest members of that class coming out of high school, and that remains true here. He led the Cape in steals last summer with 14 and hit .345/.419/.593 with 12 thefts this year after transferring from Oklahoma State to Kansas State.

Pick 23 (399th overall): Red Sox, Gavin Kilen, SS, Milton (Wis.) HS (No. 100): The Badger State has a recent history of sending quality prep infielders to the pros like Gavin Lux and Owen Miller, and Kilen could be the next in line. His hand-eye coordination and plate coverage rank among some of the best for 2022 high schoolers, though the bigger questions come on the defensive side. Kilen is the fourth shortstop drafted by Boston this cycle.

Pick 29 (405th overall): Dodgers, Chris Newell, OF, Virginia (No. 190): Newell was an MLB Pipeline Top 100 Draft prospect in 2019 but slipped as he didn’t quite make the most of his tools in college. His above-average speed could make him a quality center fielder in the pros, but he’ll need to cut down his swing-and-miss against breaking stuff.

Round 14

Pick 24 (430th overall): Yankees, Kris Bow, RHP, College of Southern Nevada: Bow hails from the same junior college that Bryce Harper played for in 2010 but may have pushed his way into this round with a good performance on the Cape this summer. The 6-foot-4 right-hander posted a 2.12 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 17 innings for Yarmouth-Dennis, thanks to a mid-90s fastball and low-80s slider.

Pick 29 (435th overall): Dodgers, Jose Izarra, SS, Florida Southwestern State College: Born in Venezuela, Izarra first appeared in the college ranks at Miami but transferred to a junior college this year to get more playing time. Questions remain around his overall bat, but he is a surefire shortstop with good hands and a strong arm.

Round 15

Pick 9 (445th overall): Royals, Javier Vaz, OF, Vanderbilt: Kansas City has taken college players with every pick to this point, and they keep the train going with a Vanderbilt outfielder who hit .280/.402/.490 in 51 games this spring. Vaz’s best skill might be his plate discipline; he walked 29 times and struck out only 17 times in 200 plate appearances with the Commodores in 2022.

Pick 12 (448th overall): Angels, Bryce Osmond, RHP, Oklahoma State (No. 163): Osmond touches 96 with his fastball and already throws a plus slider that breaks well horizontally and vertically. That could make him a quality reliever as a pro, should he make an early move to the bullpen. He once had legit two-way potential as an Oklahoma prep shortstop too.

Pick 13 (449th overall): Mets, Jackson Jaha, 3B, Clackamas (Ore.) HS: John Jaha was a Brewers 14th-round pick out of an Oregon high school in 1984 and played 10 seasons in the big leagues. His son Jackson goes one round later, though he is committed to Oregon and could go to college.

Pick 30 (466th overall): Giants, Tanner O’Tremba, OF, Arizona: O’Tremba – a cousin of Anthony Bemboom – was a Pac-12 all-conference team member after hitting .351/.446/.591 with 11 homers in a breakout season with the Wildcats.

Round 16

Pick 12 (478th overall): Angels, Casey Dana, OF, Connecticut: The Angels go 2-for-2 on the Dana family. Casey’s younger brother Caden went to Los Angeles in the 11th round (see above), and here Casey is five rounds later. The fifth-year senior hit .313/.361/.546 with UConn after transferring from Seton Hall.

Pick 29 (495th overall): Dodgers, Jared Karros, RHP, UCLA: Eric Karros came out of UCLA and went on to play 12 seasons with the Dodgers, winning a Rookie of the Year award and Silver Slugger along the way. His son Jared is at least a few steps along the same path. The younger Karros had a 3.33 ERA with 32 strikeouts and only five walks in 27 innings for the Bruins in 2022.

Round 17

Pick 1 (497th overall): Orioles, Carter Young, SS, Vanderbilt (No. 237): Few have doubted Young’s defensive ability since his gold-medal-winning days with USA Baseball at the 2017 18-and-under World Cup. However, strikeouts have piled up in college, and he’s coming off a difficult 2022 season in which he hit just .207 over 56 games. Should the O’s convince him to go pro, they’ll likely get to work on limiting his chase rate.

Pick 3 (499th overall): Rangers, Carson Dorsey, LHP, Gulf Coast (Fla.) CC: At just 19, Dorsey has been one of the youngest members of the Savannah Bananas (the Coastal Plain League team, not the zany barnstorming club) this summer and has handled himself well with a 1.61 ERA, 32 strikeouts and only three walks in 22 1/3 innings. The projectable left-hander features an upper-80s fastball that could pick up a few ticks as he fills out.

Pick 26 (522nd overall): Brewers, Brady Neal, C, IMG Academy (Fla.) (No. 74): Neal is the third IMG Academy player drafted this year, though he seems much more likely to head to college than Elijah Green or Jackson Ferris. He showed an advanced approach at the plate and earned plaudits for his ability to handle a quality pitching staff at IMG. His arm and receiving tools each grade out as above average – skills he might take to LSU if the Brewers can’t sign him here.

Pick 28 (524th overall): Rays, Levi Huesman, LHP, Hanover (Va.) HS: Huesman gets good spin rates on both his 90-92 mph fastball and mid-70s slider, giving him two pitches that could be above average in time. There is some effort in his mechanics – a knock that could have caused this fall – and smoothing that out could be a priority either with Tampa Bay or Coastal Carolina.

Round 18

Pick 1 (527th overall): Orioles, Andrew Walters, RHP, Miami (FL) (No. 130): Baltimore looks to be taking some big swings late this year, taking another member of MLB Pipeline’s Top 250 in a second straight late round. Walters sits around 95-96 mph with his fastball, touches 99 and throws the heater more than 90 percent of the time. It worked for him in school (62 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings this season) but might have led to his drop here.

Pick 2 (528th overall): D-backs, Aiva Arquette, Saint Louis (Hawaii) School (No. 183): Considered this year’s best prospect out of Hawaii, Arquette may lack a plus tool, but he has the skills to be a potentially solid shortstop on the pro side. The Washington commit added 25 pounds to his 6-foot-4 frame, giving him more raw power, and he still has athleticism that he’s put to good use on the basketball court too.

Pick 17 (543rd overall): Reds, Mason Neville, OF, Basic (Nev.) HS (No. 102): Like fellow Las Vegas-area native Justin Crawford, Neville used his speed and overall athleticism to become an intriguing prospect. He also showed power potential from a whippy left-handed swing. That same approach led to some swing-and-miss concerns, and based on this area of the Draft, it seems likely he’ll iron those out in school at Arkansas.

Pick 26 (552nd overall): Brewers, Jurrangelo Cijntje, P, Champagnat Catholic (Fla.) School: You might note that we didn’t list an arm for Cijntje. That’s because he throws with both of them. The hurler threw a 94-96 mph fastball and upper-70s breaking ball from the right side at the MLB Combine and was 88-92 with the heater from the left. He is committed to Mississippi State.

Pick 27 (553rd overall): Astros, Isaiah Jackson, OF, Cienega (Ariz.) HS (No. 229): Isaiah is the brother of Dodgers right-hander Andre Jackson but has a different profile completely. The younger Jackson brings plenty of raw power from the left side and only needs to improve his approach to tap into it. That work will likely come at Arizona State.

Round 19

Pick 2 (558th overall): D-backs, Gavin Turley, OF, Hamilton (Ariz.) HS (No. 107): This might be a nice draft-and-follow opportunity on a local kid for the D-backs. On a good day, Turley shows well-above-average power and speed that is nearly top of the scale. Inconsistencies in getting those tools to play in games might be what sends him to Oregon State.

Pick 3 (559th overall): Rangers, Grayson Saunier, RHP, Collierville (Tenn.) HS (No. 159): Saunier stands out more for his offspeed stuff than his 88-90 mph fastball with a slider, curve and change that all receive above-average grades. He missed time with a lat injury this spring, and his subsequent drop likely means he’s headed to Mississippi.

Pick 4 (560th overall): Pirates, Yoel Tejeda, RHP, North Broward Prep (Fla.) HS (No. 217): The 6-foot-7 right-hander brings size to any roster and some two-way potential as well. On the mound, the Florida commit can touch 97 and throw an at least average changeup. As a position player, he’s a switch-hitter with lots of raw power who might be limited to first base.

Pick 26 (582nd overall): Brewers, Jaden Noot, RHP, Sierra Canyon (Calif.) School (No. 79): Noot was a constant on the showcase circuit leading up to this Draft, showing a 93-95 mph fastball and a cutter-like slider as part of a four-pitch mix. Inconsistency could have led him to drop, but the level of stuff could also play quickly if/when he heads to LSU.

Pick 28 (584th overall): Rays, Quinn Mathews, LHP, Stanford (No. 187): A 6-foot-4 left-hander with a deceptive delivery, Mathews struck out 111 and walked 49 in 99 1/3 innings as both a starter and reliever with the Cardinal this spring. Those control issues would likely keep him in the bullpen at the higher level, though he could try to improve his stock with one more year at school.

Round 20

Pick 2 (588th overall): D-backs, Riley Kelly, RHP, Tustin (Calif.) HS (No. 150): The UC Irvine commit throws a high-spin curveball that ranked among the best for high-schoolers in this class. A 93-94 mph fastball gives the 6-foot-4 right-hander another above-average pitch, and the development of a third might be a focus with the D-backs or Anteaters.

Pick 5 (591st overall): Nationals, JeanPierre Ortiz, SS/RHP, IMG Academy (Fla.) (No. 212): Make that four IMG draftees. Ortiz moved from Puerto Rico to the Florida school to help his exposure, and he gave scouts looks as a two-way player. The Florida International commit might be best-served sticking to shortstop, where he has the athleticism to provide everyday impact with his glove.

Pick 8 (594th overall): Twins, Korbyn Dickerson, OF, Trinity (Ky.) HS (No. 246): A high-school teammate of 2021 second-rounder Daylen Lile, Dickerson dominated the Kentucky ranks with good bat speed and promising leverage on contact. Showcases revealed some swing-and-miss issues, and it looks likely he’ll work to iron those out at nearby Louisville.

Pick 9 (595th overall): Royals, Austin Charles, SS/RHP, Stockdale (Calif.) HS (No. 109): Kansas City made Charles just its second prep pick of the entire Draft, and it seems likely he’s headed to UC Santa Barbara. The California native always stood out as a 6-foot-6 shortstop, but he showed good athleticism and a strong enough arm to stick there. Charles started to work more on the mound this spring, hitting 94, and he could continue playing both ways in college.

Pick 30 (616th overall): Giants, Ethan Long, 1B, Arizona State (No. 232): The last pick of the 2022 Draft goes to a ranked member of the MLB Pipeline 250. Long is power over everything. The right-handed slugger broke out with 16 homers in 2021, placing himself between Spencer Torkelson and Barry Bonds on ASU’s freshman record list. A wrist injury kept him from posting similar numbers this spring, but he still finished with a .294/.377/.525 line as a 21-year-old sophomore.