One Dodgers Draft Pick Hasn't Played in Two Years

The college pitcher has missed the last two seasons of competitive baseball.

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Dodgers selected right-hander Isaac Ayon in the 18th round of the 2024 MLB Draft. The No. 550 overall pick was selected out of Oregon, for whom he began playing in 2021.

Ayon has not pitched in two years due to multiple injuries, which have caused him to miss his junior and senior seasons of baseball. He underwent internal brace surgery on his right elbow in 2023 before undergoing Tommy John surgery prior to the 2024 season.

Ayon redshirted in 2023, giving him the opportunity to return for a fifth year with Oregon in 2025.

𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤-𝐭𝐨-𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤@IsaacAyon4 is picked for the second consecutive year in the @MLBDraft. Ayon is the fourth Duck all-time selected by the @Dodgers.
#GoDucks | #ProDucks | #MLBDraft2024 pic.twitter.com/Kwh3GFodRf

— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) July 16, 2024

Ayon was previously drafted by the Washington Nationals in 2023 as the team's 20th-round pick.

20 (585): @Nationals select Oregon (OR) P Isaac Ayon https://t.co/cjmdN4XPx3 #MLBDraft

— MLB Draft Tracker (@MLBDraftTracker) July 11, 2023

When he last pitched for the Ducks in 2022, Ayon pitched 87.1 innings and posted a 5.77 ERA and 80 strikeouts. He finished the season fourth in the Pac-12 in starts (a team-leadin 16) and strikeouts looking.

As a freshman in 2021, Ayon pitched 38.0 innings and recorded a 5.21 ERA with 44 strikeouts. Before starting college, the Fresno native attended Buchanan High School in Clovis as a junior and senior. He attended Central High School as a sophomore and Bullard High School as a freshman.

Even though Ayon's senior season was cancelled because of COVID-19, he still earned CalHiSports.com first-team all-state honor roll recognition.

Coming out of high school, Ayon was a top-300 player nationally and the No. 48 player in California according to Prep Baseball Report. He was the No. 107 right-handed pitcher in the nation while ranking seventh in California by PBR.

Ayon was the ninth of the ten pitchers the Dodgers took in this year's draft class. They also drafted pitchers Jakob Wright, Brooks Auger, Seamus Barrett, Aidan Foeller, Cody Morse, Mike Villani, Will Gagnon, Evan Shaw, and Hunter Elliott.