Four players with Northern California high school ties were selected in the first round of the MLB Draft on Sunday night.
Daniel Susac C Arizona (Jesuit) to the Oakland A’s: Susac went the college route out of Jesuit and came out of Tuscon as a first round pick to the A’s. His older brother, Andrew, was drafted out of Oregon State to the San Francisco Giants 11 years ago. MLB.com said of Susac, “Big and physical, Susac has shown the ability to drive the ball to all fields, using the gap very well during his freshman season. There’s legitimate power to tap into as well. A former high school quarterback, he’s a better athlete and moves better than you’d think given his size. Behind the plate, Susac’s plus arm plays well, and he did show off above-average defensive skills last spring, though he wasn’t receiving quite as well in the fall. Even so, he’s one of the best college backstops in the class, cementing his place in the first round with a very strong spring.”
Cooper Hjerpe LHP Oregon State (Woodland) to the St. Louis Cardinals: One of the best college pitchers in the country this past season, Hjerpe was selected No. 22 overall by the Cardinals. According to MLB.com, “The southpaw has moved into the Friday night role this year and seen his stock improve greatly as one of the more consistent starters in the country. While Hjerpe doesn’t light up radar guns, he does have a full starter’s repertoire, a ton of deception and a huge competitive streak.”
Henry Bolte OF Palo Alto HS to the Oakland A’s: Bolte was the NorCal Player of the Year this past season and is one of the best position player prospects to come out of the region in the past decade. “Some intriguing outfielders have been drafted out of Palo Alto High School in Northern California over the years, with one -- Joc Pederson -- making it to the big leagues. Bolte has the raw tools to be the next and showed off both his skills and the need for a lot of refinement over the course of the summer,” MLB.com wrote of Bolte. He was signed to Texas.
Josh Kasevich SS Oregon (Palo Alto) to the Toronto Blue Jays: Four picks after Bolte went, former Palo Alto standout Josh Kasevich went No. 60 overall to the Toronto Blue Jays. He comes out with a lot of offensive promise with MLB.com writing, “Kasevich has the chance to be a solid hitter from the right side of the plate at the next level. He has outstanding plate discipline and makes a ton of contact, walking nearly as much as he struck out at Oregon in 2021 and more than he struck out during his time in the Northwoods League. He uses all fields well and while he’s definitely hit over power, there is the chance he could grow into a little more pop in the future.”
Daniel Susac C Arizona (Jesuit) to the Oakland A’s: Susac went the college route out of Jesuit and came out of Tuscon as a first round pick to the A’s. His older brother, Andrew, was drafted out of Oregon State to the San Francisco Giants 11 years ago. MLB.com said of Susac, “Big and physical, Susac has shown the ability to drive the ball to all fields, using the gap very well during his freshman season. There’s legitimate power to tap into as well. A former high school quarterback, he’s a better athlete and moves better than you’d think given his size. Behind the plate, Susac’s plus arm plays well, and he did show off above-average defensive skills last spring, though he wasn’t receiving quite as well in the fall. Even so, he’s one of the best college backstops in the class, cementing his place in the first round with a very strong spring.”
Cooper Hjerpe LHP Oregon State (Woodland) to the St. Louis Cardinals: One of the best college pitchers in the country this past season, Hjerpe was selected No. 22 overall by the Cardinals. According to MLB.com, “The southpaw has moved into the Friday night role this year and seen his stock improve greatly as one of the more consistent starters in the country. While Hjerpe doesn’t light up radar guns, he does have a full starter’s repertoire, a ton of deception and a huge competitive streak.”
Henry Bolte OF Palo Alto HS to the Oakland A’s: Bolte was the NorCal Player of the Year this past season and is one of the best position player prospects to come out of the region in the past decade. “Some intriguing outfielders have been drafted out of Palo Alto High School in Northern California over the years, with one -- Joc Pederson -- making it to the big leagues. Bolte has the raw tools to be the next and showed off both his skills and the need for a lot of refinement over the course of the summer,” MLB.com wrote of Bolte. He was signed to Texas.
Josh Kasevich SS Oregon (Palo Alto) to the Toronto Blue Jays: Four picks after Bolte went, former Palo Alto standout Josh Kasevich went No. 60 overall to the Toronto Blue Jays. He comes out with a lot of offensive promise with MLB.com writing, “Kasevich has the chance to be a solid hitter from the right side of the plate at the next level. He has outstanding plate discipline and makes a ton of contact, walking nearly as much as he struck out at Oregon in 2021 and more than he struck out during his time in the Northwoods League. He uses all fields well and while he’s definitely hit over power, there is the chance he could grow into a little more pop in the future.”
