Breaking down the Nats' Day 2 Draft picks
This browser does not support the video element.
With the 11th pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, the Nationals selected Brady House on Day 1. The 18-year-old shortstop from Georgia was recorded as the fifth-best high school prospect -- and No. 8 overall prospect -- in this year's Draft, according to MLB Pipeline.
The high school power hitter is the first position player selected in the first round by Washington since Carter Kieboom in 2016. For Rounds 2-10 on Day 2, the Nats had nine picks. Here's a closer look at each of them.
Round 2, No. 47 overall: Daylen Lile, OF, Trinity High School (Louisville, Ky.)
Notable Skill: The 80th-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline is considered the best pure high school hitter in the Draft class. The lefty has a mature approach that produces contact all over the field. The 18-year-old has shown the ability to adjust at the plate while hitting gap to gap throughout the showcase circuit.
Fun Fact: Lile earned two straight Gatorade Kentucky High School Player of the Year Awards in 2020 and 2021. The Louisville commit was also named the 2021 Perfect Game/Rawlings National High School Player of the Year.
Quotable: “We all saw him as the best high school hitter in this Draft,” said Kris Kline, Nationals assistant general manager and vice president of scouting operations. “It's all about the bat with this kid. It's advanced. It's polished. It's real -- [assistant director of scouting] Mark [Baca] would describe it as tidy. So it's a tidy, nice, quick little stroke -- short, fast. He's got power and exceptional field [hitting].”
Round 3, No. 82 overall: Branden Boissiere, OF, University of Arizona
Notable Skill: The sophomore first baseman was an All-Pac-12 player in 2021 after hitting .369 with five homers and 63 RBIs. As a former pitcher, Boissiere has the ability to think like one while in the box, showing a great deal of discipline and maturity. He’s able to work counts and use the whole field, especially in high-leverage situations.
Fun Fact: According to his college player profile, Boissiere hopes to become a pilot.
Quotable: “He’s got a great competitive nature about him in the box, has really good hand-eye coordination and a feel for hitting,” former Arizona baseball coach Jay Johnson told the Arizona Daily Star. “I don’t think maybe he’s got as much credit for how good he is, and that’s really only because the season got stopped last year. He was taking off as we were finishing up.”
Round 4, No. 112 overall: Dustin Saenz, LHP, Texas A&M
Notable Skill: The 22-year-old lefty was made a starter for the first time in his career this past season with the Aggies. Saenz’s best pitch is his slider, which tops out in the low 80s with quality break both vertically and horizontally. Ranked as the 189th-best prospect in the Draft according to MLB Pipeline, the southpaw has a fastball that sits around 90-93 mph.
Fun Fact: Saenz is the first Aggie to be selected in the 2021 MLB Draft.
Quotable: “A&M’s best pitcher in 2021,” said Ryan Brauninger, recruiting and baseball analyst for TexAgs.com. “Smaller framed left-hander that spins the baseball extremely well. His fastball has great carry due to the spin rate and will sit in the 92-96 range. Curveball has good depth and shape. Flashed advanced defensive skills during his career, as well. His best attribute might be his competitiveness.”
Round 5, No. 143 overall: T.J. White, OF, Dorman HS (Roebuck, S.C.)
Notable Skill: The high school switch-hitter has shown the ability to deliver raw power from both sides of the plate. The 6-foot-2 outfielder has spent time at first base as well, but is known mostly for his hitting. While batting as a lefty, he gets a lot of pop from his hits. From the right, he is a powerful line-drive hitter.
Fun Fact: White played at the MLB/USA Baseball Breakthrough Series, where he was one of only 64 high school players selected. He then earned a spot at the Hank Aaron Invitational.
Quotable: “I still think people haven’t really seen the best of him yet,” Terenthial White, T.J.’s father, told the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. “You can tell sometimes that kids peak at a certain point; I don’t think he’s there. I think he’s still on a trajectory moving forward. I think he’s going to shock some people, and I base that on his mentality, his growth, his maturity and the work I’ve seen him put in.”
Round 6, No. 173 overall: Michael Kirian, LHP, University of Louisville
Notable Skill: The 6-foot-6 lefty is suited to be a strong reliever, with his fastball touching 96 mph. His other primary pitch is a curveball that sits around 79-82 mph. He is able to locate pitches well, especially the curve to the outside of the plate.
Fun Fact: In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Kirian allowed just two hits over 6 1/3 innings pitched for the Cardinals, striking out 11 and only walking one batter.
Quotable: “Michael is a great fit for a pitching staff,” Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell told MLB.com. “[He] has versatility and can fill many roles while being ultra-competitive. At the end of the day, when he takes the ball he just wants to help the team in any way and win.”
Round 7, No. 203 overall: Jacob Young, OF, University of Florida
Notable Skill: The contact hitter mainly played outfield for the Gators, however, Young spent time at second base as a freshman. Speed is one of his most attractive abilities; he led the team with 13 stolen bases in 2021.
Fun Fact: Florida's program has over 100 seasons in the books, and Young owns its longest hitting steak. On March 7, his streak reached 30 consecutive games, breaking the previous record.
Quotable: “He's a well-above-average runner, he can throw and he's a really good hitter,” Kline said. “The thing that I loved about [his] bat was his ability to grind out at-bats. He doesn't give any at-bats away. Very competitive in the box.”
Round 8, No. 233 overall: Will Frizzell, 1B, Texas A&M
Notable Skill: Led the Aggies in almost all offensive categories, including home runs (19). The left-handed power hitter is able to knock the ball all around the field, with great bat-to-ball ability.
Fun Fact: College teammate Dustin Saenz was selected by the Nationals in the fourth round.
Quotable: “It's all about the bat with this guy,” Kline said. “I've been scouting for 31 years and I've never seen a kid hit a ball as far as I saw him hit at the Round Rock ballpark in Texas. He hit it over the neon Round Rock sign that was behind the walkway in right-center into the parking lot. I've never seen anything like that. All I could say was ‘Wow.’”
Round 9, No. 263 overall: Cole Quintanilla, RHP, University of Texas
Notable Skill: An over-the-top delivery allows the righty to be successful when tossing his fastball. His best pitch ranges between 91-95 mph, reaching 98 mph during the 2021 season. He sat out of the 2018 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Since returning, his velocity and command have seen an uptick.
Fun Fact: Named to the Academic All-Big 12 second team as a redshirt sophomore.
Quotable: “He’s got a beautiful delivery, and we're gonna turn him into a starter,” Kline said. “So you got a fresh arm. The kid's got a nice delivery ... and he's got stuff.”
Round 10, No. 293 overall: Darren Baker, 2B, University of California
Notable Skill: Baker is coming off his best offensive season with the Bears, hitting for a .327 average. However, his defensive ability has set him apart. The second baseman had 159 defensive assists and a fielding percentage of .988 -- committing just three errors in almost 250 chances.
Fun Fact: The Nationals previously selected Baker in the 27th round of the 2017 Draft. His father is former Nationals manager and current Astros manager Dusty Baker.
Quotable: “Obviously, you got bloodlines there, but he's a really good player,” said Baca. “[He’s] intelligent; you watch him play on the field. So that's a big trait. He [has] tools, is very versatile. We really liked the player. Everything about the way his clock works. Great instincts.”