Atlanta is once again heavily connected to college pitching
The 2022 MLB First Year Player Draft is fast approaching, and we are now just five weeks out from day one. This early on there is still little in the way of clarity especially all the way down at 20th where the Atlanta Braves will be picking, but familiar rumors are still circulating around the team. With their past two first round picks being collegiate pitchers it is no surprise that they are once again connected to a slew of college arms.
This latest mock draft is an update from MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis and matches up with the most recent from Baseball America (which we covered here). Gabriel Hughes has been the hot name connected to the Braves early, but this time Callis has Atlanta passing on Hughes to select Oregon State left handed starter Cooper Hjerpe. In a class rife with pitching injuries Hjerpe is one of a few that has managed to stay healthy and perform at a high level Division I program. The 6’3” starter has a sparkling 2.40 ERA this season with 155 strikeouts to only 21 walks in 97 1⁄3 innings pitched.
Hjerpe is Pipeline’s 32nd ranked draft prospect on their big board, and projects as more of a command/deception arm than many of the other arms that have been connected to Atlanta over the past couple of drafts. Hjerpe’s low-90’s fastball isn’t one that will jump off of the page, but it plays up due to a funky delivery. He also mixes in a curveball that he can throw at multiple speeds and spin planes with a changeup that fades heavily and compliments his riding fastball. Callis also noted a connection to Hughes, a hard-throwing right handed pitcher from Gonzaga that ranks 20th on their list, as well as right hander Thomas Harrington of Campbell University who ranks 43rd.
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