USF pitching assembly line rolls along on final day of MLB draft

USF head coach Billy Mohl was on hand as Bulls alum and Rays ace Shane McClanahan started the All-Star Game Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. The 2018 first-round pick is clearly the program’s standard-bearer, but he’s far from an anomaly.Seventeen USF pitchers have been drafted since Mohl joined USF as pitching coach in 2015, a pedigree he also attributes to current pitching coach Karsten Whitson.“I feel very strongly when a kid enters our program, he’s going to get some of the best pitching knowledge in the country,” Mohl said.Right-handers Jack Jasiak and Brad Lord joined fifth rounder Orion Kerkering as the latest products off Mohl’s and Whitson’s assembly line. Star third-baseman Carmine Lane was taken by the Marlins in the 19th round to round out the Bulls’ 2022 draft class.Jasiak, also a graduate of Springstead High School, was taken in 12th round by the Cleveland Guardians. Born in Naperville, Illinois, he grew up a fan of the division-rival White Sox and became the Bulls’ Saturday starter as a freshman before the pandemic cut his season short.He was the team’s Friday starter the next season as the Bulls won the American Athletic Conference Tournament and Gainesville Regional, advancing to the first Super Regional in school history. If not for a season-ending injury, Mohl believes Jasiak would have been a second- or third-round pick.Mohl compared Jasiak to Greg Maddux as someone who won’t overpower opposing hitters but can dominate with his command and movement.“He’s not a typical 21-year-old,” Mohl said of Jasiak. “He acts like he’s 25.”Lord, who made 31 appearances in two seasons after arriving from Santa Fe College in Gainesville, was selected in the 18th round by the Nationals. Mohl said Lord was always a “big, strong country kid” but needed to work with Whitson to become a bit “meaner” on the mound and will need to improve his slider at the next level.Lane led the AAC in hits and RBI and was the only Bull to start all 57 games in 2022, but the all-conference third baseman fell to 562nd overall. He wears No. 9 just like his father, who played for the Astros organization“He’s a Top-10 rounder in my book,” Mohl said.The Orioles took Saint Leo’s Jared Beck in the 13th round. If he makes it to big leagues, the 7-foot lefty would become the tallest player in major-league history.Despite the obvious talent, Beck struggled to get innings and throw strikes until he transferred from Illinois State and had the chance to play last summer for the Savannah Bananas, a summer team known for its antics and entertainment. Ironically, Beck said that’s where he found his competitive edge.Saint Leo’s head coach Rick O’Dette noted Beck’s 95-mph fastball and one of the best pick-off moves O’Dette has ever seen, but added that was Beck one of the best athletes on campus.“I’m sure there’s people out there that look at me and they’re like, ‘Oh, this kid can’t chew gum and walk,’” Beck said from his family home in Iowa. “But I definitely have pretty good athleticism, and I take pride in that.” 11th round 317. Baltimore, Zack Showalter, RHP, Wesley Chapel High341. Chicago White Sox, Jacob Burke, OF, Miami 12th round 361. Cleveland, Jack Jasiak, RHP, USF (Springstead High)376. San Francisco, Tyler Vogel, RHP, Jacksonville (Dunedin High) 13th round 377. Baltimore, Jared Beck, LHP, Saint Leo 14th round 410. Pittsburgh, Julian Bosnic, LHP, South Carolina (Berkeley Prep) 15th round 447. Detroit, Patrick Pridgen, RHP, FIU 16th round 472. Miami, Brett Roberts, SS, Florida State 17th round 502. Miami, Evan Chrest, RHP, Wharton High514. Oakland, Jake Garland, RHP, Miami515. Atlanta, Kevin Kilpatrick Jr., OF, UCF526. San Francisco, Justin Bench, SS, Ole Miss (Calvary Christian) 18th round 527. Baltimore, Andrew Walters, RHP, Miami531. Washington, Brad Lord, RHP, USF 19th round 562. Miami, Carmine Lane, C, USF• • • Sign up for the Rays Report weekly newsletter to get fresh perspectives on the Tampa Bay Rays and the rest of the majors from sports columnist John Romano.Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook .

USF pitching assembly line rolls along on final day of MLB draft

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