SEATTLE, Wash. - The Seattle Mariners selected infielder Joe Rizzo out of Oakton High School in Oak Hill, VA with their second selection (50th overall pick) in the 2016 First-Year Player Draft, Director of Amateur Scouting Tom McNamara announced tonight.
Rizzo, 18, was a 2016 preseason Rawlings-Perfect Game 1st Team All-American and proceeded to hit .392 with 14 runs, 1 double, 4 home runs and 12 RBI during his senior season. Entering the draft, Baseball America listed him as the 40th-best prospect.
After hitting .606 (40x66) with 25 runs, 9 doubles, 7 home runs and 25 RBI in 22 games his junior season in 2015, he was named to the First-Team All-Met team, was the Virginia 6A Player of the Year and participated in the Perfect Game All-American Classic in San Diego. Following his sophomore campaign in 2014, he was named to the First-Team All-Concorde Conference and Second-Team All-Region selection for hitting .310 (22x71) with 14 runs, 5 doubles and 8 RBI.
Earlier in the MLB First-year Player Draft, the Mariners selected outfielder Kyle Lewis out of Mercer University with the 11th overall pick in the draft. The 2016 Draft continues tomorrow with rounds 3-10 (starts at 10:00 am PT) and rounds 11-40 on Saturday (9:00 am PT).