Cubs go heavy on collegiate players on second day of MLB Draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Chicago Cubs had eight picks on the second day of the MLB Draft, and while they didn’t overload at any position, they did make a lot of selections from the college ranks.
In fact, eight of their first 10 picks in this year’s draft have come from college, with sixth-round pick Alfonsin Rosario and seventh-round pick Yahil Melendez their only high school selections so far.
The highlights from their draft selections include shortstop Josh Rivera, who pounded 19 home runs and stole 18 bases at Florida this season, and outfielder Brett bateman, who stole 42 bases during his collegiate career at Minnesota.
The Cubs had a total of eight picks on Monday, and here are the players they selected:
Round 3 – Shortstop Josh Rivera, University of Florida
In 70 games this season with the Gators, Rivera had 19 home runs, 72 RBI’s and 18 stolen bases, slashing .348/.447/.617. He hit 35 home runs in his collegiate career, seeing big upticks in long balls and stolen bases this season.
Round 4 – Right-handed pitcher Will Sanders, University of South Carolina
For the third consecutive selection, the Cubs stayed in the SEC by taking Sanders. He posted a 3.43 ERA in 15 starts in 2022, but had a bit of a backslide in 2023, with a 4-4 record and a 5.46 ERA in 14 games, including 11 starts. His strikeouts per nine innings rate did go up to 11.1, but his WHIP crept upwards to 1.34.
Round 5 – Catcher Michael Carico, Davidson College
Carico appeared in 21 games for Davidson this season, with seven home runs and 18 RBI’s. He posted a .514 on-base percentage in those games after racking up 17 walks in just 107 plate appearances, and his OPS was a robust 1.202.
Round 6 – Outfielder Alfonsin Rosario, P27 Academy
This high school outfielder and pitcher has some intriguing skills, ranking as the top high school outfielder in South Carolina. He already stands 6-feet-2 and weighs 215 pounds, and he also boasts a 9 mph fastball, according to PerfectGame.
Round 7 – Shortstop Yahil Melendez, B You Academy
According to Baseball Factory, Melendez has an incredible arm and a smooth hitting stroke, grading above average in fielding at both shortstop and second base while boasting plus-skills in both contact and power at the plate.
Round 8 – Outfielder Brett Bateman, Minnesota
After using their first-round pick on Maryland’s Matt Shaw, the Cubs came back to the Big Ten to select Bateman, a speedy outfielder who stole 17 bases in 50 games this season. In fact, he stole a total of 42 in his collegiate career, and he backed that up with five stolen bases and 13 RBI’s in the Cape Cod League this season.
Round 9 – First baseman Jonathon Long, Long Beach State
Long had a breakout season for the Dirtbags, with 15 home runs and 52 RBI’s in 55 games. He slashed .312/.404/.600 in those contests.
Round 10 – Right-handed pitcher Luis Martinez-Gomez, Temple College
Martinez-Gomez started 13 games and pitched in 15 overall for the Leopards, with a 7-4 record, a 2.83 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 63.2 innings pitched.
The final ten rounds of the draft will take place on Tuesday morning prior to the MLB All-Star Game in Seattle.