Round 5, Pick 143: Brandon Birdsell (Cubs) - Slot Value: $402,100
---------------Signed 7/23 - $385,000 - Link
Round 8, Pick 244: Micah Dallas (Athletics) - Slot Value: $177,000
---------------Signed 7/24 - $125,000 - Tweet
Round 8, Pick 248: Dylan Rock (Blue Jays) - Slot Value: $173,800
---------------Signed 7/? - $22,500 - Link
Round 20, Pick 603: Moo Menefee (Reds) - Slot Value: $125,000*
---------------Signed 7/24 - $125,000 - Link
Free Agent Signing: Troy Claunch (White Sox) - Slot Value: $125,000*
---------------Signed 7/20 - $? - Tweet
Free Agent Signing; Jacob Palisch (White Sox) - Slot Value: $125,000*
---------------Signed 7/25 - $? - Tweet


With the draft now just 24 days away (July 17th - 19th), we should start to see a lot more projections, mock drafts, prospect lists etc. I thought I'd lump everything to watch out for in one post. Categories shown below are based on the 12thman.com classifications which is why someone like Logan Britt that has been here since 2020 is still listed as a sophomore due to Covid rules.

Draft Targets:

Seniors
Rody Barker
Troy Claunch - FA
Kole Kaler
Jacob Palisch - FA
Dylan Rock - Pick #248

Juniors
Austin Bost
Micah Dallas - Pick #244
Moo Menefee - Pick #603
Brett Minnich
Taylor Smith (In the Portal)
Jordan Thompson

Draft-Eligible Sophomores (Turn 21 by August 31st)
Logan Britt (In the Portal)
Jonathan Childress (In the Portal)
Will Johnston
Xavier Lovett (In the Portal)
Alex Magers (In the Portal)
Trevor Werner
Walker Zander (In the Portal)

High School Recruits
Brandon Arvidson LHP Dripping Springs HS
Blake Binderup RHP College Station HS
Cade Climie INF Katy Seven Lakes HS
Lucas Davenport RHP Prosper HS
Bryson Dudley C Cedar Ridge HS
Blake Hansen LHP/UTL Cinco Ranch HS
Kaikea Harrison INF Kailua (HI) Punahou HS
Lucas Jackson RHP Lake Travis HS
Michael Johnson OF Hammond (LA) HS
Lucas Kelly RHP/INF San Francisco (CA) Sacred Heart HS
Kaeden Kent INF Lake Travis HS
Justin Lamkin LHP Corpus Christi Calallen HS
Jace LaViolette OF Katy Tompkins HS
Colin Linder RHP Suwanee (GA) Lambert HS
Mason Ruiz LHP/INF Bryan HS
Shane Sdao LHP Montgomery Lake Creek HS
Justin Vossos INF Ft Bend Ridge Point HS
Kasen Wells OF Smithson Valley HS

Junior College Recruits
Evan Ashenbeck LHP Blinn CC
Travis Chestnut INF Temple CC
Evan Godwin LHP San Jacinto JC
JD Gregson C Grayson College
Dillon Janac RHP San Jacinto JC
Stanley Tucker INF New Mexico JC
Jaren Warwick RHP Alvin CC

D1 Transfers In
Max Debiec RHP University of Washington (RS Freshman) - Not Eligible for Draft
Matthew Dillard LHP Sam Houston State (Junior)
Brandyn Garcia LHP Quinnipiac University (Junior)
Hunter Haas INF ASU (Sophomore) - Not Eligible for Draft
Jace Hutchins RHP University of Texas (RS Sophomore)
Carson Lambert RHP USC (Senior)
Joe Powell C University of Cincinnati (RS Sophomore)
Josh Stewart RHP University of Texas (Freshman) - Not Eligible for Draft
Troy Wansing LHP Purdue (Freshman) - Not Eligible for Draft


Other Names to Follow
Brandon Birdsell (2019 Aggie RHP) - Pick #143



The draft will consist of 20 rounds for the second year in a row. Rounds 1-10 have an assigned slot value per spot and rounds 11-20 have a maximum slot value of $125,000. A team can pay above or below slot value if the player and team agree, but if a team does not sign a player taken anywhere in the first 10 rounds, that slot value is forfeited and cannot be used towards other players. A player taken in rounds 11-20 can sign for any amount, but anything over $125,000 (can't find evidence that this amount changed from the prior years, but it might have gone up slightly) will reduce that teams pool of money. Because of these rules, players taken in the first 10 rounds are usually going to sign 99% of the time. 2021 saw 309 of the 312 players taken in the first 10 rounds sign contracts. This also leads to teams utilizing senior signs in the later half of the first 10 rounds to free up slot value money to pay for other signees.

This could lead to guys like Dylan Rock, Troy Claunch, and Jacob Palisch getting picked as early as the second day of the draft. All showed leadership and poise this year which teams could value to shore up some minor league depth; especially Claunch as some teams are always looking for catching depth.

Among the juniors and sophomores, only Logan Britt has appeared on any draft depth charts, and that was prior to him having a down year this season. If any of these guys are taken, it will be based on pedigree and potential. Britt, Trevor Werner, Moo Menefee, Brett Minnich, and Jonathan Childress have all been highly rated prospects coming out of high school or have the physicalness to mature into the type of players teams would love to take a chance on. With these guys it would all depend on their desire to start their professional careers. If they hear their name before round 11, they will be gone, but I am leaning towards all of them being back to campus next year. Austin Bost has done nothing but hit these last two seasons, but I think a lack of position will limit his draft stock; he would be a dark horse candidate in my mind for a late round pick.

Jace LaViolette is the name to watch among the incoming players as he has seen his name sprinkled among the top 200 depending on which reports you read. He should be an immediate impact player should he make it to campus, so it all depends on the money he will be asking for and where teams project them in the drafts. Other names to watch, and these will all depend on signability and their desires to start professional baseball life, but Blake Binderup, Kaeden Kent, Shane Sdao, and Justin Vossos could garner some interest.

Brandon Birdsell made the transfer to San Jacinto after his 2019 freshman season and did well during the shortened 2020 season. He then put together a terrific start for Texas Tech before a rotator cuff injury ended his season in 2021. He was even better in 2022 going 9-3 with a 2.75 ERA in 15 starts for the Red Raiders. He is projected as a Top 3 round draft pick for 2022.

What to look forward to next year:

After a heck of a season, the Aggies shouldn't lose too many guys to the draft this year. The issue will be that the few they do lose were all leaders and vital to this team. Claunch, Rock, Kaler, and Palisch will be difficult to replace, but their legacy can live on in the juniors and sophomores should they step up. Can Werner stay healthy? Can Britt find his swing? Can the Aggies shore up the pitching? I can't help but be optimistic for this upcoming season.

For reference:
***Official Aggies vs. 2017 MLB Draft Thread***
***Official Aggies vs. 2018 MLB Draft Thread***
***Official Aggies vs. 2019 MLB Draft Thread***
***Official Aggies vs. 2020 MLB Draft Thread***
***Official Aggies vs. 2021 MLB Draft Thread***

Wicked Good Ag said:

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Look forward to this every year.

If you could adjust during your many many edits have the HS players and JC/College players separated and add in transfer portal movement since it will be a huge thing doing forward in college baseball

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Separated out the JC, D1 Transfers, and High School recruits into separate categories. Debating about adding the transfers out - maybe once they are officially gone I will add a section as most are not eligible for the draft.

Quote:

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The top four comprises a tier of clear MLB Draft prospects and the next 10 or so players could be draft guys, but probably have price tags higher than what the industry would pay. It's a list of players I really like who would all be candidates to thrive in college and emerge as top picks.

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Quote:

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As for Kaeden Kent, another guy we're higher on, I'm willing to bet on sons of former MVP winners who repeatedly hit every time I see them. Kent hit all summer and all throughout the high school season, and once he crosses those white lines, he has a unique, fiery competitiveness.

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The starting 9 this year were almost all first guy off the bus types. It was noticeable how big and athletic they looked compared to previous years.

85AustinAg said:

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The starting 9 this year were almost all first guy off the bus types. It was noticeable how big and athletic they looked compared to previous years.

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For sure. Only Kole Kaler and later in the season Jordan Thompson weren't fairly large dudes by baseball standards.

JT is short but he's pretty stout.

The team calls him Spark Plug.

Love JT, but he's every bit of 5'9"-5'10", if that.

Draft Day!

Really wish Moo would come back.

Holliday, Jones, Rocker go top 3. All pro athletes kids. My kids are hosed.

Rangers now have Rocker & Lieter

PhatMack19 said:

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Holliday, Jones, Rocker go top 3. All pro athletes kids. My kids are hosed.

Rangers now have Rocker & Lieter

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First the retractable roof stadium. Then the starting pitching. The strategy is solid.

Is drew gilbert from Tennessee the one that dropped an f-Bomb o to the ump and got tossed?

No Aggies, recruits, or transfers taken on Day 1

GigEmAgsCaleb said:

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Is it free to watch the draft on MLB.com today?

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Yes. And tomorrow as well although tomorrow will just be audio with no commentary. Today's commentary will be very brief as the picks are much closer together.

A lot of Okie State talent taken in the early rounds. No wonder they were so highly regarded in the early polls back in February. Not making it to Omaha has to be a disapointment.