Rangers MLB Draft Day Three Recap: Rounds 11-20

The 2021 MLB Draft is complete. Here's who the Texas Rangers selected with their final 10 picks.

Chris Halicke | Jul 13, 2021

The Texas Rangers wrapped up the third and final day of the 2021 MLB Draft with their final 10 selections. Just one of the 10 selections ranked in MLB.com's Top 250 prospects.

11th Round (314th overall): JoJo Blackmon, OF, Escambia HS (FL)

Blackmon batted .419 with 4 home runs, 4 triples, 10 doubles, and 21 RBI during his senior season at Escambia High School in Pensacola, Fla. Also a standout football player, Blackmon is committed to the University of Alabama at Birmingham for baseball.

12th Round (344th overall): Jackson Leath, RHP, Tennessee

The University of Tennessee right-hander missed the majority of the 2021 season due to a hamstring injury, as he totaled a 1.08 ERA with 37 strikeouts and .170 opponent batting average over 25 innings and seven appearances (three starts) spanning two seasons with the Volunteers after transferring from Blinn Junior College in Brenham, Texas. Leath is a native of the DFW area and graduated from Waxahachie High School.

13th Round (374th overall): Thomas Ireland, LHP, Polk State College (FL)

The left-hander averaged 12.02 strikeouts per nine innings this season at Polk State College in Winter Haven, Fla., striking out 85 batters in 63 2/3 innings over 16 games (14 starts). The Canada native prepped at Martin Academy in Regina, Saskatchewan. In 2019, Ireland represented Saskatchewan at the Blue Jays Baseball Academy tournament held at Rogers Centre in Toronto, an event that features Canada’s top amateur players.

14th Round (404th overall): Tucker Mitchell, C, State College of Florida Manatee-Saraota

Mitchell batted .382 with nine home runs and 55 RBI this season. The catcher, who began his college career at Florida Atlantic University, has been playing for the West Virginia Black Bears of the MLB Draft League this summer, where he is teammates with Texas fifth-round pick LHP Mitch Bratt. Mitchell is committed to North Carolina State University.

15th Round (434th overall): Evan Elliott, RHP, Lethbridge College (AB)

The Toronto native was a member of the baseball team at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2020 and had committed to the University of Iowa in 2021. Elliott was a member of the U18 Canadian Junior National Team.

16th Round (464th overall): Ryan Ure, LHP, Eaton HS (CO)

The 6-foot-7, 230-pound southpaw led Eaton (Colo.) High School to the 2021 Class 3A state championship in late June, posting a win in the state semifinals. He was selected to the Colorado Dugout Club All State Game, and was also selected as All Patriot League First Team. He played first base at Eaton when not on the mound. Ure has signed to Oklahoma State University as a pitcher.

17th Round (494th overall): Michael Alfonso, RHP, Key West HS (FL)

Alfonso, 18, was named the 2021 Miami-Dade High School Baseball 4A-16 Pitcher of the Year after posting a 3.62 ERA and 68 strikeouts over 58 innings as a senior at Key West (Fla.) High School. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound righty has a commitment to Indian River State College in Fort Pierce, Fla.

18th Round (524th overall): Kyle Larsen, RHP, TNXL Academy (FL)

The 6-foot-2, 245-pound Larsen was drafted out of TNXL Academy in Ocoee, Fla, which is a baseball-centric school that plays outside the Florida High School Athletic Association and competes against junior colleges, Division II colleges, and high schools. Larsen is committed to the University of Florida.

19th Round (554th overall): Will Taylor, OF, Dutch Fork HS (SC)

Taylor was selected as the South Carolina Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year after batting .450 with seven home runs, 33 RBI, 34 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases for the Dutch Fork High School Silver Foxes this past season, helping his school advance to the Class 5A district championship. He had a .586 on-base percentage and 1.455 OPS figure.

He was rated the 20th-best player in the draft by MLB.com, and was ranked 21st by Baseball America. Taylor signed with Clemson University to play both baseball and football, as he was a highly-touted high school quarterback as well. Taylor is currently on campus for Clemson football.

20th Round (584th overall): Joseph Mantalvo, RHP, Central Pointe Christian Academy (FL)

The 19-year-old Montalvo is a right-handed pitcher at Central Pointe Christian Academy in Kissimmee, Fla. He has committed to play collegiately at Eastern Florida State University. The pick was dedicated to the late country music legend Charley Pride.

Outlook

Rangers senior director of amateur scouting Kip Fagg did say that there were a couple of players who wouldn't sign, but chose to not mention who. It's all but certain that 19th-round selection Will Taylor will opt to go to Clemson. If the Rangers somehow pull it off, it would be the steal of the entire draft. But don't count on it at all.

Fagg did say the Rangers would sign 12th-round pick Jackson Leath, though nothing is official just yet.

More on SI's Inside The Rangers:

Like 'Inside The Rangers' on Facebook

Published Jul 13, 2021

CHRIS HALICKE