Thought last weekend’s ugly regional sweep meant you could stop stressing about Rebel baseball until next February? Think again. The MLB Draft, which runs Thursday through Saturday, will have a major say in whether Ole Miss can improve its postseason performance in 2017. Depending on how high they’re selected, draft-eligible guys like J.B. Woodman, Errol Robinson and Brady Bramlett will be deciding whether to turn pro or come back to Oxford to improve their stock.
Woodman, who became the first Rebel off the board in the second round to the Blue Jays, finally lived up to his five-tool billing as a junior: he was second on the team with a .323 average, led the SEC with 15 homers and was fifth in the conference with a .578 slugging percentage. Combine that with the speed to swipe 12 bags and above average arm/athleticism in center field, and some scouts think J.B. could go as high as the second round.
Errol, who was named a preseason All-American in February, didn’t have the junior season he was hoping for. But he shook off a terrible first half at the plate to end up at a respectable .270 average for the season, and he showed elite fielding ability throughout. He’s projected to come off the board on Day 2, and judging from this tweet in the aftermath of the regional elimination, it looks like he’s already made up his mind.
Rebel Nation… It’s been a pleasure.
With love,
Your shortstop, Errol Robinson
— Errol Robinson (@errol_robinson6) June 4, 2016
It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Brady Bramlett, a redshirt junior who went 7-4 with a 3.74 ERA as the Friday night starter. He went in the 22nd round last year and is projected to be a Day 3 guy again this weekend, but he already has his degree and might be ready to get his pro career underway. On the flip side, he’s big into academics and has designs on being a college AD one day, so he has off-field incentives for spending a fifth year at school.
Other current Rebels to watch are Tate Blackman (who’s draft eligible as a sophomore since he’s 21), Henri Lartigue, Colby Bortles, Wyatt Short and Chad Smith. Getting Blackman, Lartigue and Bortles — all of whom are projected as Day 3 prospects — would be huge for the 2017 offense.
And don’t forget about the croots. Top signees Thomas Dillard, Grae Kessinger, Cooper Johnson, Ryan Rolison and Will Etheridge might never make it to campus if they go high enough.
How to follow the draft
Thursday – Rounds 1-2 plus Competitive Balance Rounds
Friday – Rounds 3-10
Saturday – Rounds 11-40
TV: MLB Network (Thursday, 7 p.m.)
Online: MLB.com (Thursday 7 p.m., Friday, 1 p.m., Saturday noon)
Twitter: @MLBDraftTracker
Tracking the Ole Miss prospects
J.B. Woodman: 2nd round, No. 57 overall to the Toronto Blue Jays
