Kemp Alderman drafted by the Miami Marlins in the second round of MLB Draft
Kemp Alderman has the opportunity to take his talents to South Beach.
The outfielder was the second Ole Miss player taken off the board during the first day of the 2023 MLB First Year Player Draft on Sunday. Alderman was selected by the Miami Marlins as the 47th overall pick and the eight pick of the second round.
Where Alderman was selected was higher than he has been projected even after a late summer surge up the prospect rankings. An impressive showing at the MLB Draft Combine last month did nothing but help Alderman shoot up MLB teams draft boards and the Marlins landed on him.
The slot value for Alderman’s pick is set at $1.83 million.
Alderman led Ole Miss in nearly every offensive category this season, hitting .376 with a slugging percentage of .709 and on-base percentage of .440. He had 80 hits with 61 RBI, 19 home runs, and 151 total bases. He also led the team in two-out RBI (23) and batting average with runners on base (.393).
During the ESPN broadcast on Sunday Chris Burke described Alderman as a “baseball destroyer.”
Alderman’s journey to the MLB Draft was one that started rocky upon arrival at Ole Miss. A freshman season that did not go according to plan led to Alderman focusing more on his hitting and putting any pitching thoughts on the backburner.
That move proved beneficial to all involved as Alderman became one of the top hitters in the Southeastern Conference this season. He earned himself the 2023 Ferriss Trophy, naming him the top college baseball player in Mississippi for this season.
The power hitter joined teammate Jacob Gonzalez as the second Ole Miss player to get selected on the opening day of the MLB Draft. Gonzalez was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the first round as the 15th overall pick.
