For the fourth time in five years, a Stanford baseball player has been selected in the first two rounds of the MLB Draft.
This year, it was senior outfielder Brock Jones, selected by the Tampa Bay Rays with the 65th overall pick in the second round of the 2022 MLB draft on Sunday. In his junior season, Jones hit 21 home runs and 57 RBIs en route to being named a second-team All-American for the second straight year.
Jones has captured the attention of scouts, who tout his combination of athleticism, power and defense. However, many have criticized the Fresno-native for his streakiness at the plate and struggles against breaking balls.
Prior to the draft, many draft analysts had projected Jones to be a late first round or early second round pick. But despite ranking No. 33 on MLB.com’s Top 250 Draft Prospects list, Jones fell to the late second round.
The star slugger hasn’t formally announced whether he will sign with the Rays, but it is unlikely that he will return to The Farm. Out of over 1200 MLB draftees, approximately 900 usually agree to terms and sign professional contracts. The earlier the pick, the more probable an agreement is.
On Monday, Day 2 of the draft, a trio of Cardinal players joined Jones on the draft board. The Colorado Rockies selected senior catcher Kody Huff with the 206th overall pick of the draft. Huff possesses an above-average arm behind the plate and a good swing. This isn’t Huff’s first time through the draft process, however — in 2019, Huff was selected in the 32nd round but opted to attend Stanford instead of go pro. Later in the day with the 250th pick, the New York Yankees selected senior infielder Brett Barrera. Barrera led the Pac-12 in batting average during the 2022 season.
The final Stanford prospect off of the board was senior shortstop Adam Crampton, selected by the Baltimore Orioles with the 257th overall pick. Crampton, who is ranked No. 130 in MLB.com’s Top 250 Draft Prospects List, wowed scouts with his defensive play. In his four years at Stanford, Crampton anchored the Cardinal’s infield and was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2022.
With one more day in the draft to go, pitcher Alex Williams could also hear his name called. If Williams decides to return to college, it likely will not be at Stanford — the Stanford graduate put his name in the grad transfer portal weeks ahead of the draft.
The decisions these players will make will likely impact Stanford’s championship aspirations in the 2023 season. All four of the student-athletes picked have at least one more year of college eligibility remaining. If several decide to stay, the Cardinal will likely start the season with a high ranking and will have a strong chance of reaching the College World Series.