Two UCF Knights on MLB’s Top 200 Draft Prospects List
With the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft less than two weeks away, draft boards and prospect rankings have begun to become a bit more settled. As the scouting reports solidify, two of UCF’s own have found themselves on MLB.com’s list of top prospects for this summer’s draft.
Pitcher Connor Staine (88) and shortstop Alex Feeland (170) both cracked the league’s top 200 list and will likely be selected within the first handful of rounds. Both were a big part of UCF’s 35-win season in 2022 and have the potential to make an impact in the big leagues.
Staine is a right-handed pitcher who stands every bit of 6’5” and has a wicked fastball to match his imposing stature. With top speeds consistently at 97 mph, the New Jersey native’s size and velocity make him a possible goldmine that scouts are hoping to strike big on. Staine’s the 26th ranked pitcher and will probably be off the board fairly early.
Freeland, a 6’2” switch hitting shortstop who’s a machine at the plate, is projected to fit in as a second or third baseman at the next level. He’s got great hands in the field and excellent plate discipline.
Although he shines more as a right-handed hitter, he has some serious pop with swinging with either hand and waits on his pitch with the discipline of a seasoned pro. Freeland’s sure to be drafted in the early rounds as he was almost taken in the 2020 draft coming out of Mariner High School in Cape Coral, Fla.
The Knights typically have a few players taken in the MLB Draft each year and 2022 will be no exception. With Staine and Freeland on the board, UCF baseball continues to send talent to the professional ranks.
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