Rangers Sign First 2022 Draft Pick: Report

The Texas Rangers have until Aug. 1 to sign all of their 18 selections from the MLB Draft that wrapped up on Tuesday.

The Texas Rangers have reportedly signed their 11th-round draft pick, meaning the Rangers have signed the first member of their 2022 MLB Draft class.

The Rangers have not confirmed the signing, which was reported by MLB Pipeline.

Kohl Drake, a pitcher from Walters Community College in Tennessee, was taken in the 11th round on Tuesday. The report puts Kohl’s signing at $175,000, with $50,000 counting against the Rangers’ draft salary pool.

Drake turned 22 on Sunday. He went 14-0 with a 1.93 ERA (with 20 earned runs in 93 1/3 innings pitched) in 17 starts, a performance that earned him NJCAA Division I Pitcher of the Year. He also recorded a school-record 160 strikeouts, which represented 15.43 strikeouts per nine innings. The left-handed also threw five complete games and gave up just 17 walks.

He also pitched for Mahoning Valley of the MLB Draft League in 2022.

Drake is a native of Sachse, Texas, and attended Wylie High School. He comes from the same college program that produced current Texas left-hander Brett Martin.

While there’s no report of a signing, the Rangers reportedly agreed to terms with their first-round selection, Kumar Rocker, before taking him No. 3 overall. That deal was for a reported $5.2 million signing bonus.

The Rangers took 18 players overall in the three-day draft. The Rangers have until Aug. 1 to sign all draft picks.

2022 Texas Rangers Draft Selections

First Round: RHP Kumar Rocker (6-5, 245), Vanderbilt/Athens, GA

Fourth Round: RHP Brock Porter (6-4, 210), St. Mary’s Prep (MI)/Milford, MI

Fifth Round: SS Chandler Pollard (6-2, 175), Woodward Academy (GA)/Winston, GA

Sixth Round: OF Tommy Specht (6-3, 200), Wahlert HS (IA)/Dubuque, IA

Seventh Round: RHP Luis Ramirez (6-2, 200), Long Beach State/East Los Angeles, CA

Eighth Round: RHP Matt Brosky (5-10, 190), Youngstown State/Strongsville, OH

Ninth Round: SS Griffin Cheney (5-11, 185), Georgia State/Johns Creek, GA

10th Round: OF Josh Hatcher (6-2, 200), Kennesaw State/Albany, GA

11th Round: LHP Kohl Drake (6-5, 220), Walters State CC (TN)/Sachse, TX

12th Round: RHP Jackson Kelley (6-0, 185), Mercer/Marrieta, GA

13th Round: RHP Caden Marcum (6-5, 160), Paola HS (KS)/Paola, KS

14th Round: RHP Andrew Owen (6-1, 185), Grossmont College (CA)/Turlock, CA

15th Round: SS Jack Goodman (6-0, 185), Medfield HS (MA)/Medfield, MA

16th Round: RHP Nick Bautista III (6-3, 200), Cypress College (CA)/Los Angeles, CA

17th Round: LHP Carson Dorsey (6-2, 165), Gulf Coast CC (FL)/Panama City Beach, FL

18th Round: LHP Justin Sanchez (6-0, 185), Monsignor McClancy HS (NY)/Queens, NY

19th Round: RHP Grayson Saunier (6-4, 195), Collierville HS (TN)/Collierville, TN

20th Round: RHP Matt Scott (6-6, 225), Joel Barlow HS (CT)/Redding, CT

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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