The Arizona State baseball program has sent 100 players to the major leagues. Players like Mike Leake, Ike Davis, Dustin Pedroia and Jason Kipnis are all former Sun Devils thriving in Major League Baseball, and all of their major league journeys began with the MLB Amateur Draft. The MLB Draft takes place over three days, beginning with the first round tonight starting tonight at 4 PM. Click the jump to where this year's crop of Sun Devils could go.
ASU shortstop Deven Marrero has a chance to be the highest Sun Devil taken since Mike Leake went No. 8 in 2009. Mock drafts have Marrero going has high as No. 8 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. In their final mock draft, Baseball America has Marrero going No. 14 to the Cincinnati Reds. Marrero will not fall out of the first round and will most likely be a chosen in the middle of the first round.
The next Sun Devil most likely to be taken is junior right-hander Jake Barrett. Barrett was a third round pick in 2009 coming out of Mesa Desert Ridge High School. Barrett has a powerful arm that can reach the high 90's, and has nasty off-speed stuff. Although Barrett was a starter for one season, he projects as a relief pitcher in the major leagues.
Even though there is a chance Barrett sneaks into the end of the first round, Barrett will most likely be taken in the supplemental first round (picks 32-60). The supplemental rounds are extra picks for teams that lost players in free agency.
Right-hander Brady Rodgers has a chance to go with Barrett in the supplemental first round. Barrett piched 115 innings for the Sun Devils this season, winning 10 games and posting an ERA of 2.27. Rodgers pitches a lot like Mike Leake and definitely has a chance to make it into a major league rotation. Rodgers is most likely to be chosen in rounds 2-4.
Other Sun Devils that have a chance to be taken before round 10 are: 2B Joey DeMichele, 1B Abe Ruiz, CF Andrew Aplin and RHP Matthew Dunbar.