The Miami Hurricanes celebrated a successful MLB Draft in 2024, with five of their players being selected over the three-day, 20-round event. On the first two days, their entire starting rotation from the previous season—Gage Ziehl, Rafe Schlesinger, and Herick Hernandez—were picked in the fourth round. The excitement continued into Day 3, with two more Hurricanes joining the draft list. Jacoby Long, an outfielder, was chosen by the New York Mets in the 17th round (503rd overall), and right-handed pitcher Brian Walters was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 19th round (573rd overall).
Jacoby Long, a senior who flourished as a full-time starter, ended his season with a .303 batting average. His contributions included 11 doubles, 24 RBIs, 37 runs, and 10 stolen bases out of 12 attempts. Meanwhile, Brian Walters, a redshirt sophomore, made 15 relief appearances, maintaining a 3.29 ERA with 22 strikeouts and only two walks over 13 2/3 innings.
While Long and Walters were valuable additions to the draft list, the primary focus was on Miami’s prominent starting pitchers. Ziehl, Schlesinger, and Hernandez were the top prospects, with Ziehl ranking No. 110 by Baseball America and No. 89 by MLB Pipeline, Schlesinger No. 148 and No. 147 respectively, and Hernandez No. 419 by Baseball America. Walters was also noted in Baseball America’s top 500 prospects at No. 479. Their selection marks a significant shift for the Hurricanes, who will miss the substantial innings these pitchers provided.
The combined effort of Ziehl, Schlesinger, and Hernandez accounted for nearly half of Miami’s total innings pitched last season. Ziehl, who was picked 119th overall by the New York Yankees, had been a weekend rotation staple for two seasons, finishing his Miami career with a 3.87 ERA over 100 innings in 15 starts in 2024. He recorded two complete games against North Carolina and Clemson. Ziehl’s overall performance included a 15-9 record with a 4.07 ERA in 61 appearances, striking out 241 batters in 227 2/3 innings.
Schlesinger, drafted 113th overall by the Cleveland Guardians, and Hernandez, both had challenging seasons in 2024 with ERAs of 5.83 and 6.14 respectively. Despite these numbers, they displayed potential with advanced metrics appealing to professional teams. Schlesinger, a left-hander with a fastball reaching 97 mph, complemented by a slider and changeup, offers an intriguing option either as a starter or a reliever. MLB Pipeline highlighted his unique arm slot as both an advantage and a challenge, leading to inconsistent pitch execution and command. His season reflected this dual nature, with five quality starts contrasted by three outings where he allowed seven or more runs and pitched fewer than five innings.
This draft outcome underscores the significant talent within the Miami Hurricanes’ baseball program, particularly in their pitching staff. The departure of these players represents a notable loss but also a testament to the program’s ability to develop talent ready for professional baseball. The challenge now lies in rebuilding and finding new players to step up and fill the void left by these drafted athletes.
