Five Ole Miss Rebels selected on day two of MLB Draft
OLE MISS ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS | The 2022 national champions made headlines on Monday as five Ole Miss players heard their names called on day two of the 2022 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.
Three Rebels were taken in the sixth round: Derek Diamond (Pittsburgh Pirates), Hayden Dunhurst (Kansas City Royals) and Dylan DeLucia (Cleveland Guardians). Brandon Johnson was taken in the ninth round, also by the Royals, while Tim Elko was snagged in the 10th round by the Chicago White Sox.
The five picks in the top 10 rounds is the second most in program history.
They’re also the most since six Rebels were drafted in the first seven rounds in 2005.
Ole Miss has now had 207 players drafted all-time, including 204 in the Mike Bianco era. Ole Miss has had 15 players drafted in the top six rounds over the past five years.
At least one Rebel has been drafted in 34 consecutive seasons, a stretch dating back to 1989, and multiple Rebels have been drafted for 24 straight seasons.
A three-year starter on the hill, Diamond was the first Rebel off the board to the Pirates.
The junior has started 28 games over the past two seasons, picking up seven wins. In 140.2 innings over the last two years, the California native has struck out 139 batters to just 45 walks.
Just five picks after Diamond was selected, battery mate Dunhurst was drafted by the Royals.
Dunhurst has been a staple behind the plate for the Rebels the last three seasons, showing both power and productivity at the plate. Ole Miss’ first-ever Gold Glove winner, Dunhurst is considered one of the top defensive catchers in the country, controlling the run game with 29 runners caught stealing in his career.
The run on Rebels in the sixth continued six picks later as Dylan DeLucia received the call from another AL Central team in the Guardians. Despite having played just one season in a Rebel uniform, DeLucia has already solidified his name in Ole Miss lore, going 8-2 this past season and capturing the College World Series Most Outstanding Player award with a pair of wins on the mound in Omaha.
Just over three weeks after collecting the final out that cemented Ole Miss’ national championship, Rebel closer Brandon Johnson heard his named called in the ninth round, joining Dunhurst, who caught that strikeout, as a draftee of the Royals. Johnson locked down 12 saves in 2022, second most in the SEC and the 10th most in college baseball.
Three-time team captain Tim Elko rounded out Ole Miss’ second day of the draft.
Elko went in the 10th round to the Chicago White Sox. A third team All-American in 2022, Elko set a single season home run record with 22 big flies this season.
Elko finished his Rebel career with 46 homers, the second most ever at Ole Miss. The Lutz, Florida, native proved to be far more than a power hitter, finishing his Rebel career with a .294 average and a .392 on-base percentage.
The 2022 MLB Draft will conclude on Tuesday with rounds 11-20. Coverage begins at 1 p.m. CT on MLB.com.
