MLB Draft: Grier, Palacios and Four Other Auburn Players Selected
Despite a very difficult season for Auburn baseball and first year head coach Butch Thompson, the Tigers did very well in the MLB Draft with six players selected.
Anfernee Grier was taken during lottery round A (between the first and second round) by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 39th overall selection in the MLB Draft. Grier was by far the best player for the Tigers in 2016, and many knew he would be taken early, but some were still surprised to see him go in the top 40 picks.
MLB Draft 2016: Results, Grades and Top Steals for Rounds 1-3
Less than 100 picks later another Auburn outfielder was taken when the Toronto Blue Jays selected Joshua Palacios in the fourth round at pick 132. Palacios was only with Auburn for one year, but he had a major impact on the lineup when healthy. Unfortunately he was injured for the last month of the season, which didn’t help as Auburn tried to make a push for the SEC Tournament.
It took till the 18
th
round before another Auburn player was taken as the Detroit Tigers selected Niko Buentello with picked number 535. Buentello was the run producer of the three-headed monster atop the Auburn lineup all season along with Grier and Palacios. He was also only with Auburn for one season, but he made it count by hitting .332 with 11 home runs and a team-high 55 RBI.
Pitcher Ben Braymer was taken just nine picks later in the 18th round by the Washington Nationals. Braymer finished the season with the second best ERA on the team of those who pitched 30 innings or more at 3.56. He struck out 47 batters in 48 innings, while starting four games and appearing in 21 total.
Keegan Thompson was taken in the 33rd round by the Detroit Tigers. Thompson was ranked in the top 100 of all draft prospects, but because of his injury risk he fell all the way to the 985th overall pick. Thompson was Auburn’s best starter in 2014 and backed that up with another solid season in 2015 that had him shooting up draft boards. However, as a result of Tommy John surgery his missed all of 2016.
It’s reported that Thompson’s advisor, the famous agent Scott Boras, put a high price tag on the ace pitcher, which scared a lot of teams off from drafting him higher. As a result, there is a very good chance he will be playing on The Plains next season!
Starting pitcher Justin Camp was the last Auburn player taken in the MLB Draft as the Los Angeles Dodgers took him in the 37th round. Camp was one of the more reliable starting pitchers for Butch Thompson in 2016 finishing with a record of 3-5 and an ERA of 4.43 in 81.1 innings pitched.
Auburn Signees Taken in MLB Draft
In addition, Auburn signee Alex Speas was taken with the 63rd overall pick in the MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers. It will be interesting to see if the Rangers are able to sign him, or if he’ll honor his commitment to play for the Tigers. Speas is ranked as the 25th best high school prospect in the nation by Perfect Game.
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Davis Daniel, another Auburn signee, was taken by the Chicago Cubs in 34th round of the MLB Draft. There was a lot of doubt that Daniel would sign pro, which is why he fell so far in the draft. Reports say he turned down a pretty high signing bonus in order to keep his commitment to Auburn. Perfect Game has Daniel ranked as the 56th best high school prospect in the country. Both Daniel and Speas are pitchers.
Another pitcher who is committed to the Tigers, Jordan Balazovic, was taken in the fifth round by the Minnesota Twins. Balazovic is from Canada, so it would be mighty tempting for him to sign with the Twins. He is ranked as the 198th best high school prospect.
Left-handed pitcher Trevor Hillhouse was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 28th round of the MLB Draft. Hillhouse is ranked 251st out of Woodstock High School. The Phillies would have to make a pretty solid offer to pull him away from his commitment to Auburn.
Outfielder Edmond Americaan from Trinity Christian Academy was taken in the 28th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is also committed to Auburn and ranked 326 by Perfect Game. I would be surprised if he ends up singing with the Diamondbacks.
Ryan Watson from Auburn High School who is ranked in the top 500 for high school prospects and is committed to play at Auburn, was taken in the 39th round by the Dodgers in the MLB Draft. Again, the Dodgers would have to throw a lot of money his way to keep him from playing on The Plains.
And finally, JUCO transfer Josh Anthony was taken in the 16th round by the Atlanta Braves. He was expected to transfer to Auburn this fall, but we’ll see if he keeps that commitment or signs with the Braves.
Next: 2016 Auburn Softball Team Won Hearts, Cemented Program’s Future
It was great to see that so many current and future Auburn baseball players were taken in the MLB Draft. I wish the best for those that are moving on, and hope those that have the opportunity to come to Auburn do so and help turn this program around.
War Eagle!