Fabian, Gators lead the way for the SEC on Monday in the MLB Draft
Chris Lee • 7/12/2021 in Baseball
Florida’s Jud Fabian led a pack of Gators selected in Monday’s portion of the 2021 MLB Draft.
The Gators led all Southeastern Conference teams with seven current players selected on Monday, which spanned Rounds 2-10. Florida's seven drafted players is tied for the national lead through 10 rounds.
Fabian, an All-SEC player in 2021, became the first SEC player picked on Monday when Boston took him 40th overall. He was one of 48 current SEC players taken Monday in addition to the four selected on Sunday.
Arkansas pitcher Kevin Kopps, who won several national player of the year honors, was selected by the Padres the 99th pick.
SEC Player of the Year Tanner Allen, Mississippi State's right fielder, went 118th to Florida.
Auburn shortstop Ryan Bliss, LSU right-handed pitchers Jaden Hill and Landon Marceaux, Ole Miss lefty Doug Nikhazy, Florida right-hander Tommy Mace, Arkansas center fielder Christian Franklin and right-hander Patrick Wicklander, Tennessee right-hander Chad Dallas, third baseman Jake Rucker and shortstop Liam Spence, South Carolina pitcher Brett Kerry and DH Wes Clarke were among the league's other stars taken on Monday.
Fourteen high school players who've signed with SEC teams were also picked Monday. LSU, which had four signees taken, was hit the hardest. The Tigers had one of the SEC's five second-round signees taken when the Royals nabbed right-hander Ben Kudrna 43rd overall.
Here’s a list of players and commitments (*) taken, by team, on Monday:
Alabama
Peyton Wilson, 2B (66th-Royals
Dylan Smith, RHP (74-Tigers)
Chase Lee, RHP (164-Rangers)
Sam Praytor, C (179-Marlins)
Arkansas
Kevin Kopps, RHP (99-Padres)
Christian Franklin, CF (123-Cubs)
Ryan Costieu, RHP (201-Angels)
Casey Opitz, C (244-Cubs)
Patrick Wicklander, LHP (251-A’s)
Lael Lockhard, LHP (282-Dodgers)
* Jordan Viars, OF (84-Phillies)
* Drew Gray, LHP (93-Cubs)
Auburn
Ryan Bliss, SS (42-Diamondbacks)
Richard Fitts, RHP (183-Yankees)
Tyler Miller, 1B (256-Red Sox)
* Calvin Ziegler, RHP (46-Mets)
Florida
Jud Fabian, CF (40-Red Sox)
Tommy Mace, RHP (69-Indians)
Nathan Hickey, C/3B (135-Red Sox)
Christian Scott, RHP (142-Mets)
Jacob Young, LF (203-Nationals)
Jack Leftwich, RHP (216-Indians)
Franco Aleman, RHP (306-Indians)
* Jake Fox, SS (95-Indians)
Georgia
Ryan Webb, LHP (125-Indians)
Ben Harris, LHP (252-Dodgers)
Kentucky
John Rhodes, CF (76-Orioles)
Austin Schultz, LF (285-Tigers)
LSU
Jaden Hill , RHP (44-Rockies)
Landon Marceaux, RHP (80-Angels)
* Ben Kudrna, RHP (43-Royals)
* Carter Jensen, C (78-Royals)
* Brock Selvidge, LHP (92-Yankees)
* Ian Moller, C (103-Rangers)
Mississippi State
Tanner Allen, RF (118-Marlins)
Eric Cerantola (139-Royals)
Christian MacLeod (159-Twins)
* James Wood, OF (62-Padres)
* Jordan McCants, SS (88-Marlins)
Ole Miss
Doug Nikhazy, LHP (58-Indians)
Taylor Broadway, RHP (185-White Sox)
South Carolina
Brett Kerry, RHP (141-Angels)
Brady Allen, CF (149-Marlins)
Thomas Farr, RHP (150-Reds)
Brannon Jordan, RHP (Brewers)
Andrew Peters, RHP (291-Angels)
Wes Clarke C/1B (297-Brewers)
Tennessee
Chad Dallas, RHP (Blue Jays-121)
Liam Spence, SS (154-Cubs)
Max Ferguson, 2B (160-Padres)
Connor Pavolony, C (197-Orioles)
Jake Rucker, 3B (219-Twins)
* Ryan Spikes, SS (100-Rays)
Texas A&M
Dustin Saenz, LHP (112-Nationals)
Bryce Miller, RHP (113-Mariners)
Will Frizzell, 1B (RHP-296-Nationals)
* Isaac Pacheco, 3B (39-Tigers)
Vanderbilt
Luke Murphy, RHP (104-Angels)
C.J. Rodriguez, C (158-A’s)
Hugh Fisher, LHP (288-Diamondbacks)
* Joshua Baez, OF (54-Cardinals)
* Michael Morales, RHP (83-Mariners)