A source said that Dylan Lesko, a high school right-hander, was the top pitching prospect for the 2022 MLB Draft. He had Tommy John surgery Tuesday.
Lesko, the No. 8 overall prospectIn the draft rankings, Dr. Neal ElAttrache was the team physician responsible for performing the procedure. Los Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles RamsAccording to ESPN, the source said that
Lesko is a commit to Vanderbilt, and he should sign out of this year's draft. Due to his elite talent and a weaker pitching class, he still has a strong chance of being the first pitcher to be drafted.
This situation was most closely analogous in 2012 when the top draft pitcher was the top prep pitcher. Lucas GiolitoDuring the spring, he had Tommy John surgery and ended up finishing 16th in the overall rankings. Washington Nationals. Giolito signed for just below $3 million. It was the eight-highest draft bonus that year.
The draft has been bad for pitcher health. Among the seven pitchers ranked in ESPN's top 32 draft class players, Alabama's Connor Prielipp has just returned from Tommy John surgery. Tennessee's Blade Tidwell was sidelined for the first half of this season due to shoulder soreness.
Additionally, Mississippi State righty Landon Sims, Texas prep righty Cole Phillips, and Arkansas righty Peyton Pallette, and Connecticut lefty Reggie Crawford, were both projected as first rounders. They were each expected to be in the first round before they had Tommy John surgery in March. Florida lefty Hunter Barco is the projected first rounder. He has an elbow injury.
Two other pitchers who were projected to make it into the top five rounds, Duke RHP Henry Williams (Oregon State RHP Will Frisch) and Oregon State RHP Will Frisch, also had Tommy John surgery in spring.
