NC State's Josh Hood and Chris Villaman selected in MLB draft
Two NC State baseball athletes realized lifelong dreams Monday afternoon during the second day of the 2022 MLB Draft. The Mariners selected redshirt junior Josh Hood, and the Rays chose Chris Villaman. They are the first Wolfpack athletes to hear their names called this year.
Seattle selected Hood in the sixth round with pick 186. Originally from Vineland, New Jersey, Hood now heads west to start his professional career. Hood started all 57 games this year for NC State in 2022 after transferring from Penn. He hit .268, driving in 52 runs and belting 13 home runs. Overall, the junior finished second on the team in RBIs, while checking in at third in doubles and home runs.
Here’s a video of Hood receiving the good news:
This is Hood’s second time getting drafted in as many years. The Boston Red Sox picked the NC State infielder in the 20th round after he sat out last season due to the pandemic. On May 2 of this year, Hood received national player of the week honors from Collegiate Baseball. Hood was projected anywhere between the No. 214 and No. 272 prospect in the draft on ESPN.com , ProspectsLive.com and MLB.com.
The Everett AquaSox are the Mariners’ High-A team, and the Modesto Nuts are their Single-A ball club.
Chris Villaman is headed to Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay selected Villaman in the ninth round, with the 284th pick, of this year’s draft. Villaman, a closer for the Wolfpack, received all-ACC third team honors this season after he led the team with 11 saves in 28 total appearances, a season total that is tied for sixth in program history.
His appearance tally also led NC State, and he ended the year with a 3-3 record and a 3.40 ERA. The 6-2, 217 pound lefty is from High Point, North Carolina. During his 2022 campaign, he received spots on the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason and Midseason Watch Lists. During the Wolfpack’s ACC Championship loss to UNC, he threw five innings, a season high, allowing no hits and striking out eight batters.
In total, Villaman struck out 85 batters over 55.2 innings— the second best strikeout total on the team. Villaman was also a member of the 2021 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. Prior to the draft, ESPN considered Villaman the No. 153 prospect in the draft. MLB.com had him slotted at NO. 224, and ProspectsLive.com ranked him at 347.
The Rays’ low-A affiliate is the Charleston RiverDogs, and the high-A squad is the Bowling Green Hot Rods. Tampa’s triple-A affiliate, the Durham Bulls, would be in a familiar area for Villaman.
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Who are the remaining draft prospects for NC State?
Here’s what The Wolfpacker’s Matt Carter had to say about the remaining draft prospects for NC State.
“After Villaman and Hood, who else might hear their names picked?
“One option could be outfielder Dominic Pilolli. The transfer from Charlotte hit .261 with nine homers from the left side of the plate and added 33 RBI. He had a .494 slugging percentage and .382 on-base mark.
“ESPN.com views Pilolli as a top-10 round choice, ranking him at No. 250. ProspectsLive.com has Pilolli as a potential day-three choice, rating him No. 357.
“ProspectsLive.com does see former NC State ace Sam Highfill as a day-two worthy choice despite missing most of this season dealing with a back injury. Two seasons ago, however, Highfill went 9-2 in 16 starts and had a 3.66 ERA by allowing just 77 hits and 26 walks over 93.1 innings and striking out 84 batters.
“Highfill was limited to just six starts in 2022, and was hit fairly hard, giving up 29 hits and walking 10 in 27.2 innings and having a 5.53 ERA. ProspectsLive.com has Highfill rated No. 279.
“ProspectsLive.com also rates pitcher Matt Willadsen as a day three caliber prospect at No. 508. Willadsen had a 5-4 record with a 4.19 ERA in 88.0 innings this spring, giving up 81 hits and walking 45 while striking out 95.”
