The 2022 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft will take place July 17–19, 2022 in Los Angeles. The draft will assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The draft order will be set based on the reverse order of the 2021 MLB season standings. The draft also includes compensation picks which will be distributed for players who did not sign from the 2021 MLB Draft.
On March 10, 2022, Major League Baseball, and the Major League Baseball Player Association (MLBPA) agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The new CBA will institute a draft lottery beginning with the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft, with the first six picks sorted through a lottery for the 18 teams that do not qualify for the postseason.
The draft will permanently switch to 20 rounds, with an annual pre-draft combine, and guarantees to draftees of 75% of their slot value if they submit to pre-draft physicals. A draft-and-follow option will be re-introduced for players drafted after the 10th round who do not sign before the signing deadline.
With the MLB draft coming up in July, the 2022 draft class is expected to be stacked with top HBCU pitching prospects and good hitting position players.
Obviously, we don’t know which HBCU ball players will get drafted or even how many will get drafted. We can make a prediction as to which ones we think will come to the forefront.
At Black College Nines, we figured it’s time to look at other potential HBCU draftees and our guestimation of where they may land during our mock draft.
Many could sign free-agent contracts should they not be drafted
Here is a list of possible selections.
According to information from a scouting source, many are looking more towards collegiate arms particularly early to mid-rounds.
Alabama State Breon Pooler I rank as HBCU Baseball top overall draft pick for 2022. Athletic, throws fastball in the mid-90s, has one of the draft’s best breaking balls, an 86-87 mph slider, nice curveball and a durable 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame. He struck out 88 batters in 89.1 innings in his senior season. His slider can be a big part of his future.
Benedict College Bradon O’Connor at (6’2″, 180), O’Connor is one of the better lead-off hitters in all collegiate baseball that I have seen in recent years. O’Connor has elite speed and the ability to cover a lot of ground in the infield and outfield. His offensive success is very high. He’s got good pop in his swing and enough contact to tap into his power, get on base all the time and play top-notch defense both infield, outfield, and at the plate. He would be a base stealing threat for a team like the Pirates. Batted .454 this past season considering he was a .359 hitter in three years for the Tigers. Set the new NCAA Division II stolen base record stealing 97 bases in 105 attempts, two-time DII stolen base champ (2019 & 2022). At the plate, 10 doubles, 3 triples, 1 home run, with 51 runs batted in. Possible late round pick or free-agent signee.
Savannah State Joseph Smith (6’0″ 165), Good out fielding prospect scouts should consider one of the better pure hitters in NCAA Division II baseball. Smith has a smooth swing and mature, all-fields approach this past season. Hit for power showing the upside of 9 doubles, 9 triples, 9 home runs and was a .441 hitter. Speed on the base path 15 stolen bases in 18 attempts. Gap to gap speed in the outfield. His record of success could get him in the late rounds.
Alabama State Cory King (5’9″ 180) best HBCU athletic outfielder this year. Batted .355 whose 16 doubles, 14 home runs, 64 runs batted in in 59 games this season makes him too difficult to go undrafted especially when tough non-conference opponents brought the heat and got lit up. King, SWAC Player of the Year has been an offensive force and was at the top of NCAA DII batting average much of the season. King, a good outfielder but his bat should give him an opportunity at the next level.
Grambling State Shemar Page (6’ 2″ 220) has an easy delivery and consistently throws strikes using all square inch of the strike zone and outer plate for outs. He struck out 142 batters in 104.0 innings on the hill. Page also induces ground outs or pop ups at a high rate. His changeup, ability to spin the curveball, quality breaking pitch draws good grades and should bode well for his ability to develop with pro instruction at the next level.
Talladega College Miguel Oropeza (5’10” 180) has shown multiple times throughout this past season that he’s more than capable of driving the baseball with authority off quality competition. He’s also capable of making some serious impact-level contact on the barrel and when paired up with that swing. Finished the season batting .452 with 15 extra base hits, 5 home runs, and 48 runs driven in. Oropeza has a good arm from behind the plate which adds to his defensive profile. Potential future draft pick.
Albany State Lavoisier Fisher (6′3″ 195) maintained his momentum as a starter. While showing plenty of range in center field, he profiles well with a live bat with a .384 batting average, 11 doubles, 3 triples, 11 home run and 56 runs batted in. Combined with his speed, Fisher can be a regular or a fourth outfielder at the higher levels.
Grambling State John Garcia (6′ 0″ 190) is probably one of the best catchers in HBCU baseball and one of the most underrated collegiate catchers, period. Solid behind the plate with very good plate discipline. His ability to barrel up the baseball with relative ease into both gaps is certainly noteworthy. The 2022 season batted .409 to go along with 18 doubles, 10 home runs and 67 runs batted in. Solid line-drive hitter with power. Can hit a ton and drive in a ton of runs. One of the best catch and throw guys in the country. The arm is electric, has a gun for an arm. and he should control the run game in the MLB that has a lot of good base stealers. My projections… mid-to-late round pick, free-agent signee.
Miles College Jacob Bisharat (6′5″ 230) is another top HBCU catcher. A very good athlete behind the plate as well as having plate appearance at first base. Underrated two-way collegiate star. Behind the plate, 1.9 Pop 88 mph Velocity, runs a 6.9 60-yard dash. Hit for a .367 average with 20 doubles, 11 home runs and 46 runs batted in. Combination of power, speed and defense makes him a pro prospect. His senior season production gives promise for the next level. Athletic frame can really play at a high level.
Florida Memorial Jalen Young (6′2″ 190) best athletic HBCU baseball player, brings a great deal of raw athleticism in the field and at the plate. His power, sound swing, bat speed and range in the infield translates to fourth or fifth hitter in the lineup in the minors. Plays conference schedule against 93-94 pitching is the norm. A gap-to-gap hitter, Young hit .347 with 7 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs, to go along with 27 runs driven in. He could provide teams with plenty of run support swiped 14 bases in 15 attempts. Late draft rounder to free-agent signee.
Coppin State Marcos Castillo (6’5″ 190) big talented outfielder. We have seen him often, especially when he was starting to rank among the best hitters in collegiate baseball. A four-year starter who has been among national leaders at the plate in batting average throughout his college career. One of the big cogs in getting Coppin to the NCAA Division I Regionals, hit .315, with 13 doubles, 5 home runs, 40 runs batted in, and 18 stolen bases. My guesstimate, a No. 10 or free-agent pick.
Prairie View A&M Roberto Maldonado (5’9″ 185) LHP Maldonado is easily the most athletic pitcher in the nation. A converted outfielder, this was his second full season pitching and he has flashed an electric fastball that has gotten up to 94. He also has a four-pitch mix that includes a very complimentary slider along with a breaking ball and changeup. 3.41 earned run average (7-4) record in 100.1 innings on the hill, 100 strikeouts.
Jackson State Nikelle Galatas (6’0″ 215) has an easy delivery and consistently throws strikes using every inch of the strike zone and outer plate for outs. He’s induced ground outs or pop ups at a high rate. Can reach in the lower 90s. His changeup, ability to spin the curveball, quality breaking pitch draws good grades and should bode well for his ability to develop with pro instruction at the next level. Mid-teen draft rounder.
Florida A&M LJ Bryant, the (6’1″ 220) outfielder fits profile with his hitting track record and good defense in the outfield,Bryant has tremendous hitting, speed and power potential. Look for him somewhere around the 16th round.
Florida A&M Jared Weber OF (6’4″ 205) he’s shown really good ability to hit higher level pitching consistently under head coach Jamey Shouppe. Batted .413, 3 home runs, 30 runs batted in.
Here is a list of other possible selections based on what we’re hearing and forecasting. This also includes scout chatter and information from head coaches.
List of other possible selections:
Matthew Garcia, Bethune Cookman, INF
Malik Stephens, Bethune Cookman, OF
Louis Lipthratt, Bethune Cookman, RHP
Nolan Santos, Bethune Cookman, RHP
Hunter May, Alabama State, C
Trenton Jamison, Alabama State, CIF
Jabronski Williams, Alabama State, OF
Enrico Peele, Savannah State, RHP
Calvin Rucker, Savannah State, 1B
Jared Showalter, Savannah State, RHP
Joe Smith, Savannah State, OF
Dwayne Franklin, Savannah State, OF
Joseph Eischen, Edward Waters, RHP
Keilin Washington, Edward Waters, OF
Payton Shubert, Edward Water, INF
Rashad Ruff, Coppin State, RHP
Brian Nicolas, Coppin State, INF
Dee Chapman, Mississippi Valley State, INF
Dreylin Holmes, Mississippi Valley State, INF
Axel Gomez, Florida Memorial, INF
Nathan Harris, Florida Memorial, 1B
Rohandry Javier, Florida Memorial, OF
O’Neill Burgos, Southern, INF
Tremaine Spears, Southern, OF
Jonante Dorris, Southern, IF
DJ Wilkerson, Florida A&M, RHP
Hunter Viets, Florida A&M, RHP
Jeremiah McCullom, Florida A&M, RHP
Grant Rowell, Florida A&M, 1B
Johnathan Thomas, Texas Southern, OF
Gabe Vasquez, Texas Southern, UTL
Ty Hill, Jackson State, INF
Nikelle Galatas, Jackson State, RHP
Chenar Brown, Jackson State, OF
Cameron Bufford, Grambling State, INF
Kacy Higgins Jr, Arkansas Pine Bluff, OF
Ty Hanchey, Florida A&M, C
Kelyn Fox, FAMU, LHP
James Deloatch, Norfolk State, LHP
Blair Frederick, Xavier (La.), LHP