Georgia Tech Baseball: Should Kevin Parada be Getting More Consideration for the #1 Overall Pick in the 2022 MLB Draft?

The 2022 MLB Draft is coming up on Sunday and there seems to be a general consensus around the top of the draft. High School players like Drew Jones and Jackson Holliday are projected to go either one or two in the draft and there is no doubt about the upside of both players. But there is one player that I think is not getting the attention that he deserves and that is Georgia Tech catcher Kevin Parada.

As the leader of one of the best offenses in college baseball in 2022, there was not a hitter that was as consistent as Parada was all season long among different categories. He set a new school record for home runs in a season with 26 and had a .360 batting average for the 2022 season. He ranked among the top five in multiple hitting categories in the ACC, which may have been the top conference in college baseball this past season.

These were marked improvements from his freshman season and that shows that Parada is only improving as an offensive presence. He likely could have been around a third-round pick when he was coming out of high school but decided to bet on himself to improve his draft position while at Georgia Tech.

One thing that could be holding back Parada when it comes to being selected number one overall is the position he plays. While it is true to point out that two of the last three number one overall picks have been a catcher, you would have to go back to 2001, when Joe Mauer was selected first overall by the Minnesota Twins. That is a 17-year gap between when catchers were selected first overall. Catchers are not as valued as some other positions and it shows in the draft.

The other thing that seems to be the consensus among scouts is that Parada does not have the strongest arm behind the plate and that his defense needs work. That is what could also be keeping him from being discussed more at the top of the draft.

However, the upside that Parada brings with his bat is worth more of a look at least. Compared to last year's number one overall pick Henry Davis from Louisville, Parada had similar or better numbers. Davis batted .370 with 15 home runs and 38 RBIs. Davis was an elite prospect, but I think that Parada is a better player than he was coming out of college, which is another reason he should be getting more number one buzz.

Baltimore does hold the number one pick in the draft and when they last did so, they took Adley Rutschman, a catcher from Oregon State. Would the Orioles want to take another catcher after spending a top pick on one just three years ago?

Another factor to think about is how much success other Georgia Tech catchers have had in the Majors. Georgia Tech is called "Catcher U" for a reason and Parada is seemingly the next guy in that line.

Most mock drafts have Parada going anywhere between 5-10, but a recent one on MLB.com had the catcher going third overall, which is the highest that I have seen him in a mock draft.

Parada was the best catcher in college baseball last season, winning the Buster Posey Award to show it. He was the most elite player on a team full of elite offensive players and carried the Yellow Jackets at various times this season.

There is no doubt that Jones and Holliday offer tons of upside and potential as the other top prospects in the draft, but Parada is too good to be this overlooked heading into the 2022 MLB Draft.

The 2022 MLB Draft begins Sunday at 7:00 p.m.

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