FLUSHING, N.Y., July 18, 2022 – The New York Mets today made eight selections in rounds 3-10 to complete day two of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft.
In the third round, the Mets selected Brandon Sproat, a right-handed pitcher from the University of Florida. Sproat, 21, went 9-4 over 17 games (16 starts) and pitched to a 3.41 ERA (34 earned runs/89.2 innings) with 82 strikeouts in 2022. In his final six starts, the Pace, FL, native went 5-0 with a 1.59 ERA. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder pitched for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team in 2021 and topped out at 99-100 MPH with his fastball. Sproat was previously drafted by the Texas Rangers in the seventh round of the 2019 First-Year Plyer Draft out of Pace High School (FL).
Brandon Sproat Stats:
Jacob Reimer, a third baseman from Yucaipa (CA) High School, was the Mets' fourth-round choice. Reimer, 18, is the highest draft pick from Yucaipa High School since current Mets pitcher Taijuan Walker was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the supplemental first round (43rd overall) of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder was ranked as the 77th-best high school prospect and the ninth-best high school prospect from California by Perfect Game. Reimer competed at the 2021 Perfect Game National Showcase at Tropicana Field.
With their fifth-round pick, the Mets selected D'Andre Smith, a shortstop from USC. The Diamond Bar, CA, native batted .286 (60-210) with eight home runs, 23 RBI and was tied for the team lead with 40 runs in 2022. As a freshman at USC in 2021, Smith appeared in 13 games and posted a .341/.522/.526 slashline. Smith is the first USC infielder to be selected in the first 10 rounds of the First-Year Player Draft since Ricky Oropesa was drafted in the third round (116th overall) in 2011 by the San Francisco Giants.
D'Andre Smith Stats:
New York took Tyler Stuart out of the University of Southern Mississippi in the sixth round. The 6-foot-9, 250-pound, right-handed pitcher made 22 appearances (four starts) and went 4-0 with a 3.38 ERA (15 earned runs/40.0 innings), 38 strikeouts and one save in 2022. In the Hattiesburg Regional, Stuart made three appearances and did not allow a run in 2.2 innings. Stuart missed his redshirt freshman season in 2020 after he underwent "Tommy John" surgery.
Tyler Stuart Stats:
In the seventh round, the Mets selected Jonah Tong, a right-handed pitcher from Georgia Premier Academy in Statesboro, GA. Tong, 19, hails from Ontario, Canada, but spent the 2022 season pitching stateside. In seven games (five starts) with Georgia Premiere Academy, Tong went 4-2 with a 1.63 ERA (seven earned runs/30.0 innings) with 46 strikeouts and one complete game. Prior to pitching at Georgia Premier Academy, Tong attended Bill Crothers Secondary School in Canada. Tong was the fifth Canadian player selected in this year's First-Year Player Draft.
Jonah Tong Stats:
With their eighth-round pick, the Mets took Dylan Tebrake, a right-handed pitcher from Creighton University (NE). Tebrake, 23, was named the Big East Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2021 and 2022. During those two seasons, Tebrake went 16-2 with a 2.82 ERA (52 earned runs/165.2 innings) with 190 strikeouts over 29 starts. His 115 strikeouts in 2022 were the fourth most by a Creighton pitcher in a single season. The two-time All-Big East First Team selection finished his career at Creighton with a record of 21-5, 230 strikeouts and a 2.86 ERA in 222.0 innings over four seasons.
Dylan Tebrake Stats:
Chase Estep, a third baseman from the University of Kentucky was New York's ninth round pick. In 2022, Estep batted .302/.416/.560, drove in a team-high 49 RBI and tied for the team lead with 13 home runs and 16 stolen bases. Prior to the 2022 season, Estep hit one home run over his first three collegiate seasons. In the summer of 2021, Estep played for the Kenosha Kingfish of the Northwoods League and batted .294 (27-92) with an .833 OPS in 25 games. Estep's uncle, Chris Estep, was a 12th-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates from Kentucky in the 1988 MLB June Amateur Draft. His father Chris played two seasons at Kentucky from 1992-1993.
Chase Estep Stats:
The Mets' final pick of day two of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft was Zebulon Vermillion, a right-handed pitcher from the University of Arkansas. In 24 relief appearances this past season, Vermillion went 2-0 with a 2.39 ERA (seven earned runs/26.1 innings), 28 strikeouts and two saves. In four games during Arkansas' run to the 2022 College World Series, Vermillion tossed 3.1 scoreless innings. The 6-5, 240-pounder finished his collegiate career with a record of 10-1 with a 3.58 ERA (42 innings/105.2 innings) and 100 strikeouts in 71 games (six starts).
Zebulon Vermillion Stats:
New York will conclude its draft tomorrow with 10 more selections in rounds 11-20.
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