The MLB Draft kicked off on Saturday afternoon, as the dreams of 615 prospects will come true when they hear their names called to kick off their professional career. The event is far more interesting as a fan of a college than any other draft, as High School prospects could opt not to sign and head to the college ranks, or college baseball stars could pull their name out of the draft and opt to return to school.
The Transfer Portal was far from kind to the Oregon Ducks as star freshmen Angel Laya and Junior Lauaki, along with catcher Burke-Lee Mabeus, departed, leaving major holes in the lineup. The hope for Mark Wasikowski's program was to continue producing top draft picks, while also hoping some of the top recruits would make their way to campus.
Oregon Ducks MLB Draft Tracker: Which players are heading to the MLB
3rd Round: Ryan Cooney - Infielder - Toronto Blue Jays
The first of the Oregon Baseball stars to come off the board was infielder Ryan Cooney when the Blue Jays selected him in the 3rd round. Ryan Cooney made an impact on the program from the time he was a freshman, through his Junior season, and now he'll become one of the top prospects in the Blue Jays' organization.
4th Round: Andruw Giles - Outfielder - Pittsburgh Pirates
The first of the High School signees for the Ducks to hear his name called was outfielder Andruw Giles out of Nevada. While there would traditionally be some hope that Oregon could still get Giles on campus, the Pirates entered the draft with a ton of pool money to hand out, which likely makes them believe they could reach a deal. Giles is a compact left hander at 6-foot with high offensive potential, and he'll likely find a role at a corner outfield position in the pros.
5th Round: Cal Scolari - Pitcher - Chicago White Sox
The first pitcher off the board for Mark Wasikowski's program was right-hander Cal Scolari, who's headed to the White Sox. It's easy to see why a team would take the risk on Scolari, who's already had Tommy John surgery, as he brings a massive frame at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, with a lively fastball and great breaking balls. The hope for Scolari and the White Sox now will be that he's able to develop into a starter to begin his career, but he'll certainly have upside as an option in the bullpen.
6th Round: Maddox Molony - Infielder - Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers moved to pick up an Oregon Duck in the 6th round when they selected infielder Maddox Molony. The In-State product was an instant impact player for Oregon, earning freshman All-American honors along with 1st-team All-Pac-12 honors. Molony brings plenty of tools to the table, and if the Tigers can continue to develop him, it'll be a home run selection.
8th Round: Miles Gosztola - Pitcher - Los Angeles Dodgers
The defending World Series Champions will look to continue replenishing their talent pool with the selection of Miles Gosztola in the 8th Round. After starting his career at Gonzaga, Gosztola worked his way into the rotation becoming a key piece of the rotation during Big Ten play. There will be some hope that Gosztola will still return to campus, but it's always tough to speculate.
10th Round: Devin Bell - Pitcher - Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers must've liked something specifically about the Oregon pitching staff, as they dipped back into Oregon's talent pool to grab Devin Bell in the 10th Round. Closers often get remembered for the blown saves, but Bell was a key piece in all of Oregon's success. The Dodgers already have a closer in Edwin Diaz, but Bell will have the potential to develop into a high-leverage reliever on a team constantly pushing to win the World Series.
13th Round: Jacob Madrid - Catcher - New York Mets
Mark Wasikowski has another signee to worry about making it to campus as the New York Mets selected Notre Dame High School (CA) star Jacob Madrid in the 13th round. Considering that Burke-Lee Mabeus transferred out of Eugene, it would be nice if the Ducks could make a push to get Madrid on campus as part of a new young nucleus.
15th Round: Drew Smith - Infielder - San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants may have picked the steal of the draft in the 15th round when Drew Smith finally heard his name called. Anyone who watched Oregon Baseball can clearly see that Smith is far better than a 15th round pick. Smith will bring infield versatility to the table while his .338 batting average with 16 home runs shows what his potential is at the plate.
15th Round: Chase Frey - Pitcher - Boston Red Sox
Just 6 days ago, the Oregon Ducks picked up a solid Transfer Portal commitment, landing Grand Canyon's Chase Frey. Less than a week later, Chase Frey's brief stint as an Oregon Duck may be over as he was selected by the Boston Red Sox. The team will hope that Frey can make his way to campus, especially as the Ducks had several other pitchers taken early in the draft.
16th Round: Sebastian Rolon - Pitcher - Cleveland Guardians
The final prep signee for the Oregon Ducks to hear his name called was Florida native Sebastian Rolon who came off the board in the 16th round. Rolon would be a nice piece for Mark Wasikowski to get on campus for his ability as a pitcher, but also the upside that he could be a two-way player for the Ducks as an infielder.
19th Round: Jack Brooks - Outfielder - Washington Nationals
Jack Brooks was stuck waiting a while to hear his name called, but before the MLB Draft was over, he finally heard his name called in the 19th round. The Nationals have built a solid young core in their rebuild from their World Series team, and if Brooks can make his way to the big leagues, it may be right as the group is moving into a contention window. Dylan Crews looked to be the center fielder of the future for the team, but with his struggles, Brooks could work his way to the MLB.
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