Virginia Tech outfielder Gavin Cross selected in first round of MLB Draft

Futures are being changed on Sunday night, with the 2022 MLB Draft taking place. Some of the top talent throughout college baseball will hear their name called in the first round by commissioner Rob Manfred. The Virginia Tech Hokies saw some history happen early in the top 10. Former Hokies’ star Gavin Cross was selected with the ninth overall selection.

In getting picked at the 9th overall spot, Cross becomes the highest player ever selected from the Virginia Tech baseball program, three spots ahead of Joe Saunders, who was selected at the 12th overall spot in the 2002 MLB Draft. On the MLB Network broadcast, Cross was drawing comparisons to a more athletic version of former Cincinnati Red Sean Casey.

This season, Cross averaged .328 for the Hokies with 17 home runs and was 12-for-12 in stolen bases. During his three seasons with Virginia Tech, Cross started all 124 games he played, batting .340, while swatting 28 home runs, and batting in 93 RBIs. The former Hokie outfielder became the first ever two-time first team All-ACC selection in program history, earning the honor each of the last two seasons.

He also was named a first team All-American this season by Perfect Game and earned Most Outstanding Player honors following the 2022 NCAA Blacksburg Regional. The Virginia Tech Hokies had one of their best seasons in school history this year, punching their tickets to their first ever Super Regional, and Cross was a huge part of that.

In high school, he set a Tennessee state record for stolen bases when he tallied 41 in 2018. The gifted outfielder was named a two-time first team all-state selection from 2018-2019.

Cross is the first player the Royals have chosen with their first pick in the draft since they selected Hunter Dozier eighth overall in the 2013 MLB Draft.

On3’s Griffin McVeigh also contributed to this article.