Peyton Wilson, Dylan Smith Taken on Day 2 of 2021 MLB Draft
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Two of Alabama baseball's best players from the 2021 season have officially joined the ranks of Major League Baseball.
Second baseman Peyton Wilson was the first Crimson Tide player to be drafted in Monday's second round of the 2021 MLB Draft, taken as the 66th pick overall by the Kansas City Royals in the draft's second round of compensatory selections. Dylan Smith didn't have to wait much longer and was drafted as the third pick of the third round at No. 74 overall by the Detroit Tigers.
Wilson saw just as much success during his 2021 junior campaign. Playing the majority of his season at second base, Wilson started in 58 games and finished the season with the team's second-highest batting average at .290 while leading the team in hits (72), runs (46) and total bases (114). He was also named to the All-SEC Newcomer Team, listed as Second Team All-SEC at second base and a member of ABCA/Rawlings All-Southeast Region First Team.
Smith had a very successful senior season in 2021, finishing the year with a 3.84 ERA while pitching the most innings of any Alabama starter with 98 and one-third. He also concluded the season with the third-most strikeouts in a single season in Alabama program history with 113.
The pair of players join Alabama signee Noah Wilson, who was taken in Sunday's competitive balance round A by the Minnesota Twins. Among other Crimson Tide players who are still waiting to see if their names are called are catcher Sam Praytor and pitchers Chase Lee and Tyler Ras.
Here are MLB.com's scouting reports for both Wilson and Smith:
Peyton Wilson
"Wilson's older brothers starred at Alabama, with John Parker setting numerous records as a quarterback and Ross still sharing the freshman home run mark with 15. A part-time catcher and center fielder as a freshman in 2020, Peyton moved to second base this year. He homered five times in his first 10 games and is in the running to become the first college second baseman drafted, perhaps as high as the second round.
"Wilson is more toolsy than the typical second baseman and his speed earns plus-plus grades from some scouts. He's compact but strong and makes hard contact to all fields from both sides of the plate. He has surprising pop for a 5-foot-9 guy but will have to tone down his aggressiveness a bit in pro ball, where he profiles more as a tablesetter than as a slugger.
"If he doesn't hit enough to be a regular at the next level, Wilson has the ability to play almost anywhere on the field as a utilityman. He has good instincts, range and hands at second base, where his well-above-average arm is stronger than most at the position. He's also a quality center fielder and a capable catcher, and he might be worth a look at shortstop."
Dylan Smith
"An 18th-round pick by the Padres out of a Texas high school in 2018, Smith barely pitched in his first two seasons at Alabama, fighting the strike zone while logging a 6.26 ERA in 23 innings. He has emerged as one of the better starters in the Southeastern Conference this year and the Crimson Tide's best pitching prospect since the Tigers made Spencer Turnbull a second-round pick in 2014. Smith could go in similar territory in July.
"He has added some velocity this spring and now works in the low 90s and peaks at 95 mph with some armside run on his fastball. He has exhibited aptitude for spinning the ball since his high school days and his best offering is an 82-86 mph slider with tilt. He also has an upper-70s curveball with downer break and has some feel for a changeup that should become an average pitch as he uses it more often.
"Smith has added 30 pounds in college and still has more projection remaining in his 6-foot-2 frame. His athleticism and quick arm allow him to produce quality stuff without much effort in his high three-quarters delivery. He's pounding the strike zone more than ever, though he'll need to refine his command to succeed as a starter against more advanced hitters."
