Gilbert selected in first round out of Tennessee
HOUSTON, TX – The Houston Astros made three selections in the 2022 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft tonight, selecting OF Drew Gilbert (first round), OF Jacob Melton (second round) and RHP Andrew Taylor (compensation second round).
Gilbert, 21, a left-handed hitting and throwing center fielder, hit .362 (72×199) with 21 doubles, four triples, 11 homers, 70 RBI, a .673 SLG, a .455 OBP and a 1.128 OPS in 58 games for the Tennessee Volunteers this season. He also walked 33 times this season, compared to just 32 strikeouts. An All-SEC First Team selection, he was also named to the All-SEC Defensive Team.
Melton, 21, a left-handed hitting outfielder, hit .360 (94×261) with 22 doubles, four triples, 17 home runs, 83 RBI, a .424 OBP, a .671 SLG and a 1.094 OPS in 63 games for the Oregon State Beavers this season. Melton was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year this season and a Perfect Game First-Team All-American selection.
Taylor, 20, a right-handed pitcher, appeared in 17 games (15 starts). He recorded a 3.21 ERA (30ER/84IP) with 126 strikeouts and a 1.05 WHIP at Central Michigan. He set the program season strikeout record, breaking the previous mark (125) he set in 2021 when he earned All-America honors.
Day 2 of the draft is set for tomorrow, which will begin at 1 p.m. CT and feature rounds 3-10.
Day 3 is set for Tuesday and will feature rounds 11-20.
Following the 2022 MLB Draft, the deadline for teams to sign their draft picks is Aug. 1.
