On day two of the 2019 MLB Draft, Oregon infielder Spencer Steer became the highest position player drafted since the school’s baseball program returned in 2009. He was picked in the third round, 90th overall, by the Minnesota Twins. His estimated pick value according to MLB.com is $657.6K.
He is the second Duck drafted. Junior pitcher Ryne Nelson became the third highest Oregon draftee since the program returned when he was picked in the second round by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Steer could join the Minnesota Twins farm system, which has eight infield prospects in MLB.com’s top-30 prospects list.
In 2019, Steer was named to the First-Team All-Pac-12, Pac-12 All-Defensive Team, and was an honorable mention for the All-Academic Team.
The junior led the Ducks in batting average (.349), OPS (.958), hits (75), RBIs (57), total bases (108), slugging percentage (.502), on-base percentage (.456) and hit by pitches (14). He was also tied for the lead with first baseman Gabe Matthews in both doubles (13) and home runs (six).
Steer spent most of the season at shortstop, but he played third base toward the end of the season as the Ducks began to get reps for other guys around the diamond.
His third season was by far the most productive at the plate. The infielder hit third in the lineup all season, and although the offense struggled at times, his production never really wavered, eventually breaking the program career record for RBIs with 129.
The 2020 team also might be losing an incoming freshman as commit Colin Barber, an outfielder from Chico, California, was drafted in the fourth round, 136th overall, by the Houston Astros.
The estimated pick value for Barber is $410.1K and he was originally the 172 ranked prospect. He could join an Astros farm system that is top heavy. The Astros have eight outfielders in their top-30 list, but Myles Straw, Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez may exhaust their prospect eligibility in 2019.
Nine Ducks remain undrafted and will wait for day three of the draft to receive the call. The five juniors that hold eligibility are catcher Cameron Campbell, center fielder Jonny DeLuca, first baseman Gabe Matthews, left handed pitcher Nico Tellache and right handed pitcher Kenyon Yovan. The seniors that are still available are right handed pitcher James Acuna, outfielder/catcher Jakob Goldfarb and left handed pitcher Cole Stringer.
An interesting name on MLB.com’s draft tracker was junior “pitcher” for the University of Oregon, Justin Herbert. Although he probably will never suit up for head coach George Horton’s heir apparent, Herbert can add his name to the list of famous quarterbacks drafted into the MLB like former Duck Dennis Dixon and other notables like Tom Brady, John Elway, Dan Marino, Kyler Murray, Michael Vick, Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Johnny Manziel.
Follow Maverick Pallack on Twitter @mavpallack
