Day 2 of MLB Draft features 4 picks from Arkansas
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Four Arkansas players heard their name called on Day 2 of the 2019 MLB Draft, which featured Rounds 3-10.
That brings the Razorbacks’ total to six draftees through the first 10 rounds of the draft. On a positive note, none of their signees have been selected.
The final 30 rounds of the draft, which begin at 11 a.m. CT Wednesday, could change that. A few other current Razorbacks could also get picked on the final day.
Here’s a look at Tuesday’s selections from Arkansas…
Matt Cronin - Nationals - 4th round, 123rd pick
Slot value: $464,500
2019 stats: 23 games/0 starts, 1-0, 12 saves, 2.00 ERA, 40 K/14 BB, 27 IP, .163 opp. avg.
Cronin has been one of the most dominant closers in college baseball the last two years and is arguably the best in school history. He broke the single-season UA record with 14 saves last year and is closing in on that number again this year. With 27 career saves, the left-hander likely won’t catch Phillip Stidham, who had 33, but he has 12 more than No. 3 on the all-time list.
The pitch that has made Cronin so effective is his fastball. Although it routinely sits in the mid-90s, the speed is not what makes it so hard to hit. He throws it with a super high spin rate that makes the ball appear to rise at it reaches the plate. Couple that with a still-developing curveball and he’s a nightmare for opponents, who have hit just .153 against him over his three years in Fayetteville.
MLB.com's Jim Callis, on the MLB Draft live stream: “This is a guy who is a pure reliever and he’s one of the best in college baseball, so he can get there (the big leagues) pretty quick. If you like spin rates, you love Matt Cronin because he has outstanding spin rates on both of his pitches. 92-96 mph fastball gets tremendous carry up in the strike zone. It’s one of those fastballs that seems like it rises. When you’re trying to deal with that, he has an over-the-top curveball that can be a true hammer in the mid- to upper-70s. There’s efforts and recoil in there, so you’re not going to try to make him a starter. Arkansas has never really tried to do that. He had trouble throwing strikes early in his career, but he was doing a better job as a sophomore. Regressed a little bit this year. If he can throw strikes, he can get to the big leagues very quickly.”
Jack Kenley - Tigers - 8th round, 232nd pick
Slot value: $181,200
2019 stats: .324/.441/.571, 10 2B, 4 3B, 12 HR, 50 RBI, 53 R, 40 BB/51 K, 8-11 SB
In an era of transfers, Kenley bided his time at Arkansas, spending his first two years as a utility guy who only started when there were injuries in the infield. When he did play, he wasn’t particularly effective at the plate, hitting just .190/.352/.226 with 12 RBIs and his only extra-base hits being three doubles.
Now an everyday starter at second base, Kenley has been an offensive threat in addition to his solid defense. He is currently third on the team in all three triple crown categories - batting average, home runs and RBIs. Nearly half of his RBIs have come with two outs, so he has been one of the most clutch players on the team, as well.
Jacob Kostyshock - Rockies - 8th round, 249th pick
Slot value: $164,700
2019 stats: 20 games/1 start, 1-3, 1 save, 2.89 ERA, 29 K/10 BB, 28 IP, .200 opp. avg.
While Campbell - rightfully so - gets all of the attention for the dramatic turnaround he made from last year to this year, Kostyshock has enjoyed just as incredible of a transformation in the bullpen. He ranked dead last on the team in ERA last season and had a combined 6.52 ERA and 2.02 WHIP over his first two seasons with the Razorbacks.
However, he put together a great summer in the Northwoods League and has carried it over to this season as one of Arkansas’ top setup guys. The biggest reason for his success is that he’s increased his velocity since his freshman year and can now light up the radar gun, touching 97 and 98 mph at times this season.
Cody Scroggins - Red Sox - 9th round, 287th pick
Slot value: $148,200
2019 stats: 16 games/7 starts, 2-0, 4.19 ERA, 53 K/25 BB, 43 IP, .227 opp. avg.
Scroggins is a local kid from Bentonville who came to Arkansas as an infielder. He even started 16 games at third base, shortstop and second base as a freshman in 2016. Dave Van Horn saw something in him that made him convert to a pitcher, though, and it has paid off.
After missing most of the 2017 season because of Tommy John surgery, Scroggins posted a 4.60 ERA last year, but became more effective as the season progressed. This year, he earned a spot in the weekend rotation before arm soreness sidelined him. Since returning, Scroggins has been a bullpen guy capable of giving the Razorbacks multiple innings at a time.
