MLB Draft Week: WVU well represented in ESPN's final prospect rankings
The 2024 MLB Draft will be held starting this Sunday, July 14, during MLB All-Star Weekend in Arlington, Texas.
West Virginia will likely have the highest draft pick in program history when JJ Wetherholt hears his name called on Sunday, but he's not the only Mountaineer expected to be taken.
ESPN released their final prospect rankings ahead of this weekend, and WVU is well represented on the list.
Wetherholt comes in at No. 3 overall in their rankings, praising his all-around athletic ability even with his smaller 5-foot-10 frame.
This past season he was sidelined with a hamstring injury for about half the season, the same injury which prematurely ended his summer last year. That seems to be the only concern with teams as he's as good of an overall hitter as there is in this draft.
Behind Wetherholt is not a current Mountaineer, but a future Mountaineer.
Griffin Burkholder an outfielder from Freedom High School in Virginia, hit .453 as a senior this past season, and ranks at No. 46. Burkholder has been committed to WVU since fall of 2020, but it's likely he will be taken in the MLB Draft.
The next two names listed are a pair of arms for the Mountaineers. Aidan Major and David Hagaman, both were used frequently this year before Hagaman went down with a season-ending injury.
Hagaman is at No. 174, while Major is right behind him at No. 183.
Hagaman was WVU's closer before the injury, tossing 35.0 innings, with 49 strikeouts and a 5.91 ERA. Major had a very strong start to the season before things unraveled a bit for him. He threw 66.0 innings, finishing with a 5.59 ERA, striking out 77 in the process.
Both Hagaman and Major bring a high velocity fastball and Hagaman especially with a tall 6-foot-4 frame has tons of potential at the next level.
The first two rounds of the MLB Draft will take place on Sunday night. Rounds 3-10 will take place Monday with the remainder of the draft concluding on Tuesday.
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