After being drafted in the seventh round of the 2022 MLB draft, Adam Maier is signing with the Atlanta Braves, according to a report from Steve Ewen of Province Sports Thursday.
Maier made just three starts for the Ducks after transferring from the University of British Columbia. He had UCL internal brace surgery in April, bringing an end to another season for the talented right-hander. He missed most of his first two collegiate campaigns due to COVID-19.
Maier catapulted onto scouts’ radar last summer with impressive spin rates on his slider in the Cape Cod Baseball League. Baseball America deemed him the No. 2 transfer in the country. If not for his injury, he likely would have gone much earlier in the draft.
The expectation was he would return to Oregon, and Maier was reportedly willing to come back to school for one more year and boost his stock for next year’s draft. But the Braves took him higher than expected, signifying their confidence they could sign him.
Per Ewen’s report, the Braves hit the signing bonus Maier wanted to sway him away from school. The exact numbers haven’t been reported. Maier’s slot value at No. 215 overall was $215.20k, though this will certainly be an overslot deal.
Maier will be heading to the Braves’ minor league complex in Florida in the coming days, Ewen said. He’s unlikely to make his professional debut this season because of his elbow injury, but Ewen said he should be ready to “throw full out” by the winter.
This is a massive hit to Oregon’s thin starting rotation. It was a weakness for the team last season and was exposed after Maier’s injury. Isaac Ayon was the team’s most valuable and consistent starting pitcher, though he struggled in road games. Jace Stoffal was added to the mix midseason and started to settle in at the end of the year. RJ Gordon alternated between starting and relieving, eventually forming a one-two punch on Fridays with Christian Ciuffetelli opening for him.
Ciuffetelli recently signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Washington Nationals. Gordon’s role remains unclear, given that he had more success out of the bullpen last year. Oregon will have to find a way to patch things together in 2023.
The Ducks also have right-handed pitcher Jackson Cox committed to join the team, but he was drafted 50th overall by the Colorado Rockies and will likely sign. Some other pitching commits Oregon will be adding include Matthew Grabmann, Turner Spoljaric, Logan Olson, Ian Umlandt and Dylan McShane.
The deadline for drafted players with remaining college eligibility to sign is August 1. Anthony Hall announced early Friday that he had signed with the New York Yankees after being selected in the fourth round.
Cox, Josh Kasevich (second round, Toronto Blue Jays) and Brennan Milone (sixth round, Oakland Athletics) have not officially signed with their respective teams yet.
