The Major League Baseball Draft went about as well as it could have for the Ole Miss baseball team. Several players who were expected to be drafted went in spots that should yield them good contracts from MLB teams, should they choose to sign and step up to the minor leagues. However, the real win for the Rebels comes from members of the 2016 recruiting class who, following the draft, announced they would be playing next season in an Ole Miss uniform.
Junior Errol Robinson throws to second base in attempt for a double play during Saturday’s win over LSU. (File photo by: Evan Turner)
Of the drafted players from the current Ole Miss team, shortstop Errol Robinson was drafted with the No. 25 pick in the sixth round by the Los Angeles Dodgers and has announced he will sign a contract with them. The Rebels’ top starter, pitcher Brady Bramlett, was drafted by the Boston Red Sox with the No. 12 pick in the 13th round and will sign a contract with the team.
Junior J.B. Woodman hits during the first game of the Louisville series on Feb. 26. (File photo by: Evan Turner)
J.B. Woodman was drafted the highest of any Rebel, as the Toronto Blue Jays selected him No. 57 overall with the 16th pick of the second round. It’s hard to imagine Woodman returning to school after being selected so high in the draft, especially with the large contract the Blue Jays will offer him.
Catcher Henri Lartigue was also drafted relatively high, as the Philadelphia Phillies selected him with the No. 1 pick of the seventh round. Lartigue has not officially announced whether or not he will sign a contract with the Phillies, but it’s likely he will.
Players drafted in the first 10 rounds typically aren’t selected unless the MLB team knows they will sign a contract, so don’t expect Lartigue or Woodman to return to school.
Chad Smith set a new career-high for strikeouts during the UAPB game. (File photo by: Evan Turner)
The Miami Marlins selected rising senior Chad Smith with the No. 7 pick of the 11th round, but he has not announced whether or not he intends to sign a contract or stay in school for his senior season. There’s a good chance Smith eventually signs a contract. The Rebels’ star closer Wyatt Short is in a similar situation, as he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs with the No. 29 pick in the 13th round, but has not announced whether or not he will sign with Chicago.
MLB teams typically call highly-ranked prospects to say they are prepared to draft them with their pick if they can agree on a contract. If the prospect is seeking a higher contract than the team is willing to offer him, the team will pass on him to select a different player, making the prospect slide down in the draft and maybe not be drafted at all. This happened with several members of the Rebels’ 2016 recruiting class, which explains how some players were drafted much lower than previously expected.
Of that 2016 class, Grae Kessinger, who was ranked as the No. 14 best high school shortstop in the country, was selected in the 26th round of the draft but has already announced he will attend The University of Mississippi. Cooper Johnson, the No. 2 ranked high school catcher, was drafted in the 28th round and has also announced his intention to play for the Rebels.
A left-handed pitcher with impressive velocity, Ryan Rolison was selected in the 37th round of the draft, but has also announced he will play for the Rebels. Fellow pitcher Will Ethridge was drafted in the 35th round but is also likely to attend Ole Miss.
Ole Miss often loses a few prospects to the MLB Draft each year, so the freshman class projects to be even stronger than usual for the Rebels. Also joining the Rebels will be Oxford High School catcher Thomas Dillard, who led the country in home runs, Oxford pitchers Jason Barber and Houston Roth and IMG pitcher Greer Holston, among other highly-ranked prospects.
