Day two of the MLB Draft went down yesterday afternoon with rounds three through 10, beginning at 2 p.m. EDT. There was a lot of talent on the board going into the day and teams pounced on the chance to take it. After the first day of the draft, the final two days are always rapid fire. Each team has just a minute to make their selection starting in round three and picks are announced almost simultaneously. Let’s dive into the best picks from yesterday before the draft concludes today. Leading up to the MLB All-Star Game, the draft will finish up with rounds 11 through 20.
Check out all of our MLB Draft profiles.
Round 3
Henry Williams – San Diego Padres, Pick 91
The Padres drafted pitchers with each of their first four picks which ended with Williams. The right-hander is all projection to this point after not logging many innings at Duke. He worked just 37 2/3 innings over his first two seasons before blowing out his elbow and requiring Tommy John surgery in December. That projection is very high, though, with his 6-foot-5 frame and three-pitch mix that could all develop into plus offerings. Most of the time when pitchers come back from elbow reconstruction surgery, they get stronger and develop even better stuff.
Williams already undergoing TJS could have a positive impact on him and he can fill the zone with all three of his pitches. His arsenal consists of a mid-90s fastball, a low-80s slider, and a mid-80s fading changeup. The Padres don’t have much depth in the system and certainly added some strong prospects in the first three rounds. They also took fellow right-handers Dylan Lesko and Adam Mazur as well as left-hander Robby Snelling.
Bryce Hubbart – Cincinnati Reds, Pick 94
After his teammate, Parker Messick was drafted at pick 54 by the Cleveland Guardians, Hubbart waited until 40 picks later. He was one of the best available going into day two of the draft and was taken by the Reds in the middle of the third round. Hubbart was the Saturday starter for Florida State for the second straight season, behind Messick. Hubbart perhaps has a higher ceiling than his rotation mate with a solid pitch mix but needs to work on improving his control. His fastball averaged 94-95 mph in shorter outings and topped out at 97 mph, and plays up even at the lower velocities with high spin rates and life. He made strides with his control as he found the zone consistently this season.
Trystan Vrieling – New York Yankees, Pick 100
With their third pick in the draft, the Yankees took their second straight pitcher after selecting Drew Thorpe in the second round. Vrieling pitched mainly out of the bullpen in his first two years but showed this season that he has the stuff to start. He moved from Sunday to Saturday in the rotation to back up Gabriel Hughes who was the Zags’ Friday night starter. The 6-foot-4 right-hander has a solid four-pitch mix led by a mid-90s fastball which he can command to all four quadrants in the zone.
In addition to the fastball, Vrieling also works with a low-80s curveball with downward action and power, a mid-80s slider, and a changeup that can be legitimately plus. The Yankees really worked on adding pitching depth to their system as they took seven arms out of their first 10 picks. Vrieling has the ability to start long-term as a mid-level starter.
Jonathan Cannon – Chicago White Sox, Pick 101
Not only does he have a tremendous last name for a pitcher, but Cannon has the stuff to be a mid-rotation arm who pounds the zone. He entered the 2021 season as a potential first-rounder but missed the first three weeks with mononucleosis. Upon returning, he was never in his best form and missed two starts in April with a forearm strain. When he is at his best, the Georgia right-hander sits in the mid-90s and frequently misses bats with an upper 80s cutter. He regularly pounds the strike zone and was able to find his velocity again which is a positive for his high floor potential as a backend starter. Cannon is strong and physical from his 6-foot-6 frame which he works with well.
Round 4
Brock Porter – Texas Rangers, Pick 109
A potential top 15 pick, Porter lasted very late which certainly had to do with his signability. As a high school pitcher from Michigan, the right-hander is committed to Clemson. He was arguably the top pitching prospect in this class and is a huge steal if he signs. The Rangers have a great chance to sign him as they have some slot money to throw at him after going underslot with Kumar Rocker at pick three overall.
Porter went 9-0 with a 0.41 ERA and 115 strikeouts in 58 innings this year as well as pitching three no-hitters. He has the best fastball in the prep class which tops out at 100 and is paired well with a great changeup with deception and velocity separation in the low-80s. The St. Mary’s Prep product also flashes plus on a slider and mixes in a curveball, while filling the zone with all four pitches. His 6-foot-4 frame has projection remaining and he is very advanced. A future rotation of Porter, Rocker, and last year’s first-round pick Jack Leiter could be filthy.
For more on Porter, check our draft profile on him.
Dominic Keegan – Tampa Bay Rays, Pick 134
After reaching with their first-round pick in Xavier Isaac, the Rays got another first baseman in Keegan. The Vanderbilt bat is a bit of a steal at this pick and could be another big slugger for Tampa Bay. Keegan got time at catcher this season and improved his defense, showing he can be adequate behind the dish. He has a lot of power from the right side and can make consistent hard contact. The 19th-round pick by the Yankees last year with an SEC track record now has a chance to be a Yankee killer in the future. Keegan also won’t turn 22 until August, despite being a senior.
Round 5
Luke Gold – Detroit Tigers, Pick 147
The Tigers have worked on developing their infield, drafting Jace Jung and Peyton Graham with their first two picks, before taking Gold in round five. The Boston College second baseman had the potential to go in the third round or even earlier as a consistent hitter in the ACC. He can drive the ball to all fields with a compact swing and has discipline, walking nearly as much as he struck out. Gold does have defensive concerns but the Tigers felt comfortable enough in his high-ceiling bat to take him in the fifth. He does have a strong arm but can get erratic on throws, so his future is likely at second base.
For more on Gold, check out our draft profile on him.
Round 6
Hayden Dunhurst – Kansas City Royals, Pick 175
The Ole Miss catcher drew fifth-round hype as a high schooler but fell to the 37th round due to his commitment. Dunhurst was an immediate starter behind the plate for the Rebels and is a very strong defensive receiver. His arm strength is very well above-average and he has a quick release. The left-handed hitter should have a solid enough hit output to be an everyday catcher as he can hit to all fields and has power to the pull side. The Royals drafted two catchers last year, Luca Tresh in the 17th round and Carter Jensen in the third. They now add some much-needed depth there with Salvador Perez still hitting pretty well but not getting any younger.
Round 7
Trey Faltine – Cincinnati Reds, Pick 213
Faltine was one of the premier defensive shortstops in all of college baseball with something to develop with his hitting. He has the bat speed and strength to put up 15-plus homers but he can get too aggressive and pull-happy which will lead to trouble on offspeed pitches. But the Reds need to develop infielders and the defense Faltine brings could make him a solid bench player to start out who could develop into an average hitter. He is also savvy on the bases with some speed.
Round 8
Griffin Doersching – San Diego Padres, Pick 240
This is honestly a perfect fit for Doershcing, as he fits right into the Slam Diego feel. He is a huge power-hitting first baseman who hit 62 homers over five college seasons, which ended with his senior transfer season at Oklahoma State. Earlier this year, he smashed a 513-foot bomb and more nukes like that should be expected. With a black hole at first base currently, Doersching could be the first baseman of the future for San Diego.
Round 9
Connor Noland – Chicago Cubs, Pick 263
The Cubs only had one pick in their first 10 picks that wasn’t a pitcher. Noland was one of the better arms they took and their class looks very strong so far. Chicago also drafted Cade Horton and Jackson Ferris with their first two picks before taking Brandon Birdsell in the fifth round. Noland pitched well at Arkansas and was their Friday starter this season while helping them make the College World Series. The right-hander recorded a 3.65 ERA in 19 starts this season and struck out 113 batters in 116 innings. There is a possibility that he doesn’t sign, as he may return to Arkansas for his senior season. But most players drafted in the first 10 rounds do sign, especially college products.
Brad Cumbest – Colorado Rockies, Pick 266
The Rockies have done very well in adding up outfield depth in their system over the last few drafts. After drafting Sterlin Thompson and Jordan Beck earlier in the draft, they took Cumbest to add to a system led by Zac Veen. Similar to Veen, Cumbest has above-average raw pop with quick bat speed and strength from a 6-foot-6 stature. He is also athletic for his size with some speed and good instincts on the bases. The Mississippi State product played some center this season but has the arm strength to play the corners. If he can continue to refine his approach against breaking pitches, Cumbest can develop more power which would play up at Coors Field.
Round 10
Murphy Stehly – Washington Nationals, Pick 291
Even though he is an older prospect, turning 24 in September, Stehly broke out with big numbers for the potent Texas lineup. The third baseman has an advanced bat and spent most of the 2022 season hitting well above .400 from the cleanup spot. He finished the season slashing .367/.424/.662 with 19 homers and 61 RBI as he really boosted his draft stock alongside Ivan Melendez. Stehly also has versatility as he played right field, second base, and first base in addition to third this season. He could rise quickly in the Nationals system and be their new third baseman within a couple of years.
Stay tuned for more MLB Draft content over the next couple of days.
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