After picking two position players in the first couple rounds of the 2022 MLB Draft, the Detroit Tigers selected their first pitcher.
Troy Melton, a San Diego State University product, was nabbed with the 117th overall pick. Melton played four seasons with the Aztecs, tossing a total of 163⅔ innings and posting a 4.12 ERA.
In his latest season at San Diego State, though, the righty had his best season, as he logged an ERA of 2.07, struck out 67 and enjoyed a 5-2 record over 65⅓ innings of work.
With their next pick, the Tigers selected Boston College third baseman Luke Gold in the fifth round at No. 147 overall.
Gold arrived to Boston College in 2019 and appeared in 15 games as a freshman, posting a .246 batting average in 57 at-bats.
But in his following two seasons, the 21-year-old hit .316 and .308. He saw 177 and 201 at-bats as a sophomore and junior, respectively.
Gold’s sophomore season was arguably his statistical best, as he launched nine homers and knocked in 45 runs.
In the sixth round, Detroit opted to go with North Carolina middle infielder Danny Serretti with the 177th overall pick.
Serretti was draft eligible last year but went back to school and had a productive season, which helped him rise up boards this time around.
The 6-foot-1 New Jersey native finished the season hitting .365, more than 100 points over his batting average from the season prior. He also had 54 RBIs and an OPS of 1.004.
All of Serretti’s 64 starts in 2022 came at shortstop.
With their seventh-round selection, the Tigers went with outfielder Seth Stephenson out of Tennessee.
Stephenson is listed at 5-foot-9 and 165 pounds, but he makes up for that slight frame with his speed, as he stole a team-high 25 bases with the Volunteers last year.
Stephenson began his collegiate career at Temple College, a junior college in Texas, where he played two seasons.
He transferred to Tennessee and played one year under head coach Tony Vitello, hitting .339 in 183 at-bats and helping the team reach the Super Regionals.
In the eighth round, the Tigers scooped up their second pitcher of the draft, picking Jake Miller out of Valparaiso with the 237th overall pick.
Miller pitched in 12 games for Valparaiso in 2022, with 11 starts. He posted a 5.58 ERA and struck out 75 batters over 61⅓ innings.
The 6-foot lefty went 6-2 in those appearances and became the first pitcher at Valparaiso to win six games in a season since Dalton Lundeen did it in 2016.
In the ninth round, Detroit opted for some power, selecting Georgia Tech infielder Andrew Jenkins 267th overall.
Jenkins (6-foot, 217 pounds) launched 17 home runs in 2022, third best on the team, and tallied 70 RBIs. The 21-year-old also posted a .381 batting average in 252 at-bats and had a 1.119 OPS
Check back later for an updated version of this story.
rsilva@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Rich_Silva18