FSU Baseball: Reaction to multiple Noles selected in 2019 MLB Draft

FSU baseball has a storied tradition of sending players to play professional baseball. Mike Martin’s final season at the helm is no different.

FSU baseball (39-21) is just one win away from extending its 40 win seasons streak to 42 consecutive years.

It has been a season full of ups and downs both defensively and offensively with the team seemingly not able to put it all together until they blew through the regionals in Athens, Georgia.

The Noles have advanced to the Super Regionals and will take on LSU in a best of three series for the opportunity to advance to the NCAA College World Series.

However, much of the Noles success this season has been because of the four players that were selected in 2019 MLB Draft.

Drew Mendoza led the team with 16 homeruns and 55 RBI’s. J.C. Flowers played a strong centerfield and had 11 saves on the season(he was drafted as a pitcher).

He was dominant with a 1.52 ERA in 20 appearances and allowed 16 hits in 23.2 innings pitched.

Drew Parrish didn’t have the season he had last year, but still amassed eight wins while having 112 strikeouts in just 81 innings pitcher.

Mike Salvatore led the team in batting average, at-bats and hits.

Thoughts

Mike Salvatore was the lone senior selected and of course can’t return next season. The other three players have the option to return but I don’t see the benefit in doing so with where they were selected.

I think Salvatore has the tools to make it to the major leagues. He can swing it and does’t strike out much while being able to play multiple positions.

Drew Mendoza fits the characteristics of someone my grandpops used to talk about. He’s said, “if you can hit it they’ll find somewhere to put you in the lineup.”

Drew Parrish has the ability to be very good and left-handed pitchers are always highly sought after. He just needs to find the consistency he had last season.

J.C. Flowers is the wild card because he’s only pitched 23.2 innings. However, his fast ball consistently hits low to mid 90’s and his slider is filthy for someone who isn’t a full-time pitcher.

That’s all you need to be a dominant relief pitcher in the major leagues. What he’s going to have to focus on is his command of his pitches. He had too many walks (10) in that amount of innings he pitched this year, but hat will come with not having to split his time between working on hitting and pitching.

Congrats to these four players and hopefully they’ll continue their hot play through the Super Regionals against LSU.