Round 26, Pick 778
Mitchell Senger, Stetson University
Position: LHP
Date of Birth: 1/13/1998
Height/Weight: 6’7″, 240 lbs.
Statistics: 19.0 IP, 14.68 ERA, 25 K, 30 BB
LHP Mitchell Senger- lefty that throws with a funky arm action which helps his stuff play up. 86-88 w/ FB, four pitch mix. Solid SL, fringe CB. #Mets
— Justin Coleman (@ElJayColes) June 5, 2019
Round 27, Pick 808
Dalton Fowler, Northwest Mississippi CC
Position: LHP
Date of Birth: 1/7/2000
Height/Weight: 6’5″, 190 lbs.
Statistics: 64.2 IP, 3.76 ERA, 88 K, 43 BB
Committed to Ole Miss for next year
MLB.com, #150
In 2012, a Northwest Mississippi CC southpaw rode a surge of velocity into the second round of the Draft. History is repeating itself this year, and while he may not go quite as high as Cody Reed did, Fowler has a better breaking ball at the same stage. He has backed out of a commitment to Mississippi, so he’ll return to the Rangers for his sophomore season if he doesn’t turn pro. Fowler had a low-80s fastball as a Tennessee high school junior in 2017 and improved to the mid-80s as a senior before jumping to 90-93 mph at times as a junior college freshman. There were games when he operated more in the upper 80s, but he’s still growing into his lanky 6-foot-5 frame and could sit in the mid-90s with sink once he’s fully developed. He also shows an affinity for spinning a curveball, though he sometimes has trouble staying on top of it because he employs a lower-three-quarters arm slot. Fowler also displays some feel for a changeup, giving him the potential for a nice three-pitch mix. He’s still figuring out how to keep his long arms and legs in sync in his delivery, and he has trouble finding the strike zone when he can’t. He needs a lot of polish but has more upside than most left-handers in this Draft.
Fangraphs, #126
Fowler is probably the best of the three JuCo lefties that are rising into the top 5 rounds. He’s 6’5 with a late velo spike to 95 and starter traits.
Also ranked #224 by Baseball America
An Ole Miss signee, Fowler went 6-2, 3.76 with 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings and 6.0 walks per nine as a freshman this season. As a young 6-foot-5 lefthander, Fowler is still quite inconsistent. But he has an 89-94 mph fastball with some run and sink that could continue to improve and he can spin a quality breaking ball. Fowler shows a willingness and ability to pitch to both sides of the plate already.
Round 28, Pick 838
Jake Ortega, CSU Bakersfield
Position: C
Date of Birth: 7/31/1996
Height/Weight: 5’10”, 175 lbs.
Baseball Census (from 2018)
Under the radar, impressive ballplayer; worked behind the plate in my May look at Cal State Bakersfield; above-average athlete with some feel for catching and a knack for being in the middle of everything. Doesn’t stand out, but good feel for the game and very versatile around the infield and behind the dish, reminiscent there of Chris Rabago and Brian Serven, among others. Somewhat undersized to catch; likely bit of room to add some strength/thickness to frame … Decent foot speed; timed 4.18 up the line from the LHH box. Compact line drive swing with decent coverage to all fields; good contact skills, but little by way of lift in swing or power potential through profile. Primarily a contact hitter; somewhat limited offensively … Liked him a lot behind the plate; fundamentally sound with athleticism to move behind the dish; blocks well, reads pitches in the dirt, etc. Strong arm; pop times at 2.01 (out) and 2.02 (safe on bad tag, throw there in time for out); also recorded a 1.69 back pick to first base (safe). Throws well with quick release, very good accuracy … Maybe not quite enough here for an MLB Draft spot in June, but Jake Ortega piqued my interest with his athleticism, versatility, and defensive work, and he may be worth a follow-up for the 2019 MLB Draft as a senior-sign out of Cal State Bakersfield.
Round 29, Pick 868
LT Struble, Felician College
Position: CF
Date of Birth: 7/3/1996
Height/Weight: 5’10”, 175 lbs.
Statistics: 53 G, .361/.468/.500. 4 HR. 19 RBI, 42 SB, 39 BB, 21 K
Also pitched in four games 2019, striking out nine batters in 8.0 innings.
Round 30, Pick 698
Justin Lasko, University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Position: RHP
Date of Birth: 3/16/1997
Height/Weight: 6’4″, 210 lbs.
Statistics: 88.1 IP, 3.67 ERA, 82 K, 26 BB
https://twitter.com/UMassBaseball/status/1126513154416975872