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The Big Ten Conference had several players selected on Day 2 of the 2024 MLB Draft on Monday. Eighteen Big Ten aspirants — including the newest school affiliates Oregon, USC, UCLA and Washington — were picked between the third and 10th rounds with hopes of cracking the team's rosters soon.
Let's delve further into the top five Big Ten players selected on the second day of the MLB draft.
Top 5 Big Ten players selected on Day 2 of the 2024 MLB draft
#5 Nick Mitchell, Indiana, Round 4 compensation, 136th overall
Nick Mitchell played for two seasons at Western Illinois before transferring to Indiana for the 2024 season.
In 54 games for the Hoosiers, Mitchell hit .335 and smacked five home runs and 48 RBIs. He scored 62 runs, drew 40 walks and stole seven bases. The five-foot-10 outfielder had an on-base percentage of .458, while his slugging rate was .512.
Mitchell had a .957 fielding percentage, built on 84 putouts and four assists, which countered his four errors during the season. The Toronto Blue Jays selected the Indiana standout as a fourth-round compensation pick.
#4 Josh Caron, Nebraska, Round 4, 121st overall
Josh Caron reached legendary status in Nebraska after leading the Cornhuskers to their first Big Ten Tournament championship this past season. The six-foot catcher was adjudged the tournament MVP after smacking a league-record six home runs in as many games.
Caron improved every year he played with Nebraska, with his last season being his best performance during his three-year stay in the school. He had a .308/.388/.579 slash line with 16 home runs and 65 RBIs.
He scored 46 runs and forced 25 walks. In defense, he has a career fielding percentage of .993, built on 874 putouts and 44 assists in 134 games with the Cornhuskers. He was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the fourth round as the 121st overall pick.
#3 Luke Sinnard, Indiana, Round 3, 99th overall
The Atlanta Braves picked Luke Sinnard as their third-round pick based on potential, as he failed to play for Indiana in 2024 after blowing his elbow in last year's NCAA regionals. He underwent Tommy John surgery and was doing bullpen workouts for various clubs in May.
The six-foot-eight Sinnard started 18 games last year. He pitched 86 1/3 innings and went 6-3 with a 4.27 ERA. He broke the single-season Hoosier record by registering 114 strikeouts last season.
The right-hander had an electric fastball that induced empty swings and breaking balls that forced outs. If the rehabilitation turns out positive, Sinnard could become a middle-of-the-rotation starter for the Braves.
#2 Austin Overn, USC, Round 3, 97th overall
Austin Overn played for two seasons with USC. posting a .291/376/.495 slash line. He tallied 111 runs, with 12 home runs and 70 RBIs. Overn is a legitimate basestealer, recording 33 stolen bases during his two-year stint with the Trojans.
The centerfielder had a combined fielding percentage of .978 on 313 putouts and five assists against seven errors. The Baltimore Orioles picked him as a third-round pick, 97th overall selection in the MLB draft.
#1 Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, Rutgers, Round 3, 75th overall
The Oakland Athletics went for speedy shortstop Joshua Kuroda-Grauer as their first pick in the third round of the MLB draft.
After coming close to .300 batting average in his previous two seasons, Kuroda-Grauer surged to a .428 BA in 53 games this past season for the Scarlet Knights. The shortstop rarely strikes out, recording 18 Ks in 2024.
He smacked five home runs and 45 RBIs this year and recorded 24 stolen bases to secure the Big Ten Player of the Year Honors. Kuroda-Grauer had a fielding percentage of .978 through 228 putouts and 390 assists and 14 errors in his three-season stint with Rutgers.
