The Pittsburgh Pirates were the first team to delve into the Dallas-Fort Worth waters in this year’s MLB Draft.
The Pirates selected Oklahoma catcher Easton Carmichael — a Prosper native — with the 82nd overall pick in the third round of the draft Sunday night. The designed slot value for that pick is $975,500.
He was the first of two locals drafted Sunday night. The Chicago Cubs selected Abilene Christian right-handed pitcher Dominick Reid, a Frisco Lone Star alum, with the 90th pick in the third round.
Carmichael, a junior, was named a first-team All-American in his final season with the Sooners this spring when he slashed .329/.398/.613 with 17 home runs and 62 RBIs in 60 games. He finished his Oklahoma career with 30 home runs, 174 RBIs and 30 stolen bases. He was the third of three Oklahoma players drafted Sunday night alongside right-hander pitchers Kyson Witherspoon (No. 15, Boston Red Sox) and Malachi Witherspoon (No. 62, Detroit Tigers).
Baseball America, who ranked him No. 91 on their pre-draft big board, wrote that Carmichael’s “offensive tools and production provide a strong foundation, and his athletic traits give him a chance to offer value even if he doesn’t remain behind the dish.” MLB Pipeline ranked him No. 93 and said that he “doesn’t stand out in any particular area but has the potential for average tools across the board.”
Carmichael was a Dallas Morning News all-area honoree in his final two seasons at Prosper. He .375 with three home runs and nine doubles for Prosper in his senior season.
Reid spent his first two collegiate seasons at Oklahoma State before he transferred to Abilene Christian this season. He had a 3.26 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 88 1/3 innings. He, like Carmichael, was a first-team all-area honoree in 2022 after he yielded a 0.94 ERA in 66 2/3 innings at Lone Star.
MLB Pipeline listed Reid as its No. 209 prospect and wrote that he will “probably need to come up with a better breaker to remain in the rotation at the next level.” He was the No. 366 prospect on Baseball America’s board.
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