Major League baseball draft included a nice number of Oregonians

Oregon, Oregon State, Western Oregon with several players taken during the three-day event

There were a handful of top selections out of Oregon during this week’s 2023 Major League Baseball amateur draft.

As a broadcaster, I have gotten to see two live of the draftees from Oregon and Oregon State—both as prep pitchers.

The top Oregonian in the draft was actually a high schooler. Noble Myer—a 6-5 fireball right handed pitcher out of Oregon’s Jesuit High School, who was taken tenth overall in the draft by the Miami Marlins.

Myer was the starting pitcher in Jesuit’s 11-1 win over Sprague in this spring’s Oregon 6A baseball playoffs.  His only run came on a solo HR off the bat of the Oly’s all-state shortstop, Brandon Stinnett. But it was the only hit of the game as the Crusaders romped to victory.  Myer was called upon in the title game the next week, but was outdueled by defending state champion West Linn hurler Drake Gabel in a 2-0 victory for the Lions.  Myer gave up just two hits while striking out 14.

Also drafted right out of high school was Lakeridge left hander Paul Wilson, who was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the third round.  Wilson has committed to playing for Oregon State. Thanks to readers who caught this oversight in my original post.

Outgoing Duck and Beaver players were third round selections.

Oregon shortstop Sabin Ceballos went 94^thoverall to the Atlanta Braves. Oregon State Beaver infielder Garret Forrester snuck in ahead of Ceballos, going 73^rd to the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Ceballos was a junior college transfer who played just one season with Oregon, batting .333 while pounding out a school record 18 homers in guiding the Ducks to a super regional appearance.  Forrester was the go-to force at the plate for OSU, hitting .326 in his career while hitting 24 homers, driving in 144 runs, and walking 156 times as a Beaver—tying Baltimore’s major league all-star Adley Rutschman for the school record.

Also of significant note in the draft is former South Salem pitcher Ryan Brown, who served a the closer for Oregon State the two seasons.  Brown was Pac-12 honorable mention after a 2023 campaign where he recorded 11 saves and an ERA of 3.23.  I was privileged to see Ryan power South deep into the 6A baseball playoffs his senior season at South High.  He was chosen by the Oakland A’s in the 16^th round at number 466.

All totaled, Oregon had six of its players drafted, while Oregon State had five, including a curious pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who took Oregon State transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei as the 610^th baseball player in the 20^th round. 

DJ Uiagalelei is projected to be Oregon State’s starting QB in 2023. Photo by Draft Kings.

Dodger scouts believe that Uiagalelei could have been a first-round pick in baseball, had he pursued the sport during his time at California’s St. John Bosco High School.  Instead, he developed into a five-star quarterback who went on to Clemson, where he started for 2 ½ seasons before being demoted—leading to the transfer to OSU.

Baltimore catcher Adley Rutschman. Courtesy of Getty Images.

Combine the draft with the first all-star appearance of former Oregon State (and current Orioles) catcher Adley Rutschman in the summer classic held in Seattle this year—and Adley’s competing in the Home Run Derby—and it was one heckuva a week for baseball for fans from the state of Oregon.

Now it is time to resume the MLB schedule leading up to the World Series in October.

Play ball!

Writers note: there were notable errors in my original draftee listings. Apologies to all the readers.