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Nate Savino and Brandon Neeck Selected in 2022 MLB Draft

Savino was drafted by the Diamondbacks and Neeck was selected by the Dodgers

Matt Newton

Brandon Neeck and Nate Savino, Virginia Cavaliers baseball
Brandon Neeck (left - Dodgers) and Nate Savino (right - Diamondbacks) were both selected in the 2022 MLB Draft on Monday / Courtesy of Virginia Athletics

Two Virginia baseball pitchers were selected on day two of the MLB Draft on Monday. Nate Savino was drafted in the third round by the Arizona Diamondbacks and Brandon Neeck was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the ninth round. 

Nate Savino was the first Cavalier to come off the board on the second day of the MLB Draft and he was the second player to be drafted on day two. The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Savino with the 82nd overall pick in the third round of the draft.

In 15 starts this season, Savino recorded a 3.69 ERA and struck out 79 batters in 78.0 innings of work. He pitched a complete-game shutout in the ACC opener against Duke, needing just 103 pitches to get the job done, and garnered ACC Pitcher of the Week honors for his performance. Savino was also included on the Golden Spikes Award Midseason watch list. In his three seasons at Virginia, Savino pitched 143.1 innings, totaling 123 strikeouts to 53 walks and turning in a combined record of 10-9. 

Savino joins two former Wahoos in the Diamondbacks' organization: Jake McCarthy (2016-2018) and Pavin Smith (2015-2017). 

READ MORE: Coastal Carolina Pitcher Nick Parker Transfers to Virginia Baseball

Brandon Neeck was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers with the 285th overall pick in the ninth round of the MLB Draft. 

A slightly down 2022 season caused Neeck to fall to the ninth around, as he registered a 4.04 ERA and had 57 strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched. That was a substantial drop-off after having a lights-out season in 2021. In 22 appearances last spring, Neeck recorded a 1.93 ERA and struck out 40 batters in 23.1 innings of work. He was a main contributor to the UVA pitching staff that got the Hoos back to the College World Series for the first time since 2015. In four years as a reliever at Virginia, Neeck posted a 3.33 career ERA and amassed 101 strikeouts in 67.2 total innings. 

Neeck joins former UVA baseball star Chris Taylor (2010-2012) in the Dodgers' organization. 

With Savino and Neeck having their names called on Monday, 92 UVA baseball players have been selected in the MLB Draft in the 19 seasons Brian O'Connor has been leading the program. Virginia has produced a total of 141 MLB Draft picks since the first MLB Draft was held in 1965. 

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.

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