MLB Draft: Cubs select RHP Jake Stinnett in the second round

The Chicago Cubs drafted right-hander Jake Stinnett from Maryland in the second round of the First-Year Player Draft with the 45th pick overall.

Stinnett was drafted by the Pirates last year in the 29th round but chose to return to school and the Cubs are glad he did. In his senior season, he is 7-6 with a 2.65 ERA in 15 starts. He gave up 70 hits while striking out 130 over 112 innings.

He leads the ACC in strikeouts and ranks third nationally, and holds Maryland’s single-season strikeout record. The Terps swept the Columbia Regional and will play Virginia in their first Super Regional appearance this weekend.

The 6-foot-4, 215 pounder from Vista, California had an unlikely path to being drafted as he started at third base and did not become a full-time pitcher until his junior year. During his extra year his velocity and and slider have improved considerably.

In his junior year, he was a closer and moved to the rotation to post a 2.83 ERA. The campaign was highlighted by a no-hitter against Massachusetts, the school’s first since 2008.

On March 21, the Cubs noticed Stinnett while scouting North Carolina State’s right-hander Carlos Rodon, who was taken third overall this year by the White Sox. Rondon served up eight unearned runs over 4 2/3 innings, but the Cubs stuck around and saw Stinnett struck out 14 over eight innings to lead Maryland to a 10-0 win over NC State.

Stinnett joins catcher Kyle Schwarber of Indiana, who was the Cubs’ fourth pick overall, as the team’s selections on the first day of the draft.

The Draft continues on Friday with Rounds 3-10. The MLB.com pregame show begins at 11:30 a.m. CT, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 3-10 beginning at noon.

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