Alabama LHP Connor Prielipp Selected in 2022 MLB Draft
The roller coaster of a college baseball career for Alabama pitcher Connor Prielipp reached its conclusion on Sunday evening, with the junior left-hander being selected as the No. 48 overall pick in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Minnesota Twins.
Prielipp is the first Crimson Tide player to be selected in this year's draft. Selected at 48th overall, his pick value is rated as approximately $1.62 million, according to MLB.com. Prielipp is the third-highest pitcher drafted in Crimson Tide baseball history, behind only Taylor Tankersley at 27th overall and Bobby Sprowl at 39th overall.
He is also the sixth-highest selection by pick in Alabama baseball’s history.
Prielipp attended Tomah High School in Wisconsin, where he was the top-rated left-handed pitcher and No. 2 overall player in the state according to Perfect Game USA. On the mound for his senior season, he maintained a 6-2 record with a 0.85 ERA and 118 strikeouts across 49.1 innings. Following his senior season, Prielipp was drafted in the 37th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox, but elected to attend Alabama instead.
In the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Prielipp was lights-out on the mound, picking up a 3-0 record across four starts. In 21.0 innings pitched, he struck out 35 batters and walked just six while maintaining a perfect 0.00 ERA. In total he allowed just five hits and no earned runs, ranking him as first in the SEC and third nationally in both categories among qualifying pitchers.
His freshman efforts were enough to earn him First Team All-American, Freshman All-American and National Freshman Player of the Year honors from Collegiate Baseball News. He was also selected as Perfect Game USA's Impact Freshman of the Year and D1Baseball.com's Top Freshman Pitcher.
Unfortunately for Prielipp, his sophomore season would not show as much success due to a season-ending injury that would ultimately require Tommy John surgery. In total, Prielipp pitched just 7.0 innings across three appearances, picking up a 1-0 record on the season. In those three appearances, Prielipp surrendered three runs off eight hits, struck out 12 batters and walked just one.
After undergoing Tommy John surgery, Prielipp spent his junior season in recovery and did not see any playing time.
Despite having barely seen action on the mound since his freshman season, Prielipp still remained high on the MLB prospect charts, ranking as the No. 25 overall player in the 2022 draft class according to MLB.com. The only other Alabama player to be ranked is incoming freshman Walter Ford, who is No. 53 on MLB.com's rankings.
With Prielipp having been selected, there are still several more Crimson Tide players hoping to hear their names called in this year's MLB Draft. Shortstop Jim Jarvis and outfielder Andrew Pinckney are two players who created a lot of buzz last season, but it is still unknown whether they will opt to return should they be drafted. Other considerations are right-handed pitchers Garrett McMillan and Dylan Ray, both of whom could also opt to return should they not be pleased with their draft selections.
Alongside Ford, fellow Alabama signees Brock Blatter (RHP/1B), Mason Swinney (INF), Colby Shelton (INF) and Jake Madden (RHP) are also potential draftees. While these players have yet to play for the Crimson Tide, they will have the opportunity to play for Alabama next season should they opt out of their draft selection if they are taken by an MLB team.
