Outfielder Dylan Rock taken in the eighth round by the Blue Jays
Mayor. Rockstar. Professional.
On Monday, the Toronto Blue Jays selected Texas A&M outfielder Dylan Rock in the eighth round as the 248th overall pick of the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft. Rock is the second Aggie in this year’s draft to hear his name called.
The UTSA graduate transfer fronted A&M’s heavy-hitting and explosive offense. His club-leading numbers in runs (67), on-base percentage (.468), home runs (19), RBIs (65) and stolen bases (16) were among the best in the Southeastern Conference. Remarkably, Rock’s 19 homers this past season surpassed his four-season total from his time with the Roadrunners (18). In addition, he carried a monstrous 43-game on-base streak into the 2022 SEC Tournament.
Overall, Rock slashed .318/.468/.641 and received All-SEC second-team honors following the 2022 campaign. He was named SEC Co-Player of the Week in Week Eight of the regular season for going 5-for-10 with five walks and driving in six runs and four RBIs in the Aggies’ series win over Kentucky. Other awards added to his trophy case include American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings Division I Central All-Region first team, College Station Regional All-Tournament Team and NCBWA All-America third team.
Rock also swung his way into Aggie lore.
On March 29, he smashed a grand slam to left field that gave the Aggies a four-run lead en route to a 12-9 upset win of archrival Texas in Austin. More memorable than his big hit was the ferocious “horns down” Rock flashed while crossing home plate. He was hailed the “Mayor of Oxford” for dominating Ole Miss with three home runs in two wins and a game-tying three-run blast in a division-clinching victory. More recently, his emphatic bat flip after belting a three-run shot to dead center in the College Station Regional final against TCU perhaps signified the end of A&M’s dreaded postseason curse.
As one of the most experienced players in the collegiate ranks with over 200 Division I games under his belt, Rock’s veteran presence in A&M’s lineup won’t be easy to replace. He rightfully earned a reputation as one of the most feared hitters in the league and was one of many impact transfers this year that significantly contributed to the Aggies’ historic season.
Ryan Brauninger’s scout of Dylan Rock
“Huge production increase in the SEC after a stellar career at UTSA. Advanced hitter with great feel for timing and the strike zone. Power to all fields. Strong kid who maintains anchors and strength throughout his stance, load and swing. Better athlete than probably given credit for. Plus presence in the batter’s box. Concerns about arm strength defensively and slight tendency to overanalyze instead of trusting himself.”
