TCU outfielder Elijah Nunez selected by Washington Nationals in 2023 MLB Draft

TCU outfielder Elijah Nunez was selected in the 14th round by Washington Nationals with the No. 405 overall selection in 2023 MLB Draft.

Nunez hit .289 with a .400 on-base percentage, three home runs, 17 doubles and 20 stolen bases in 63 games this season. He was the team’s starting center fielder and leadoff hitter as the Horned Frogs made the Men’s College World Series. He was All-Big 12 honorable mention as a sophomore in 2022 and earned a spot on the Big 12 All-Freshman Team in 2021.

Seven TCU players were selected in the draft this year, headlined by third baseman Brayden Taylor going in the first round of the draft. Taylor was picked at No. 19 overall by the Tampa Bay Rays.

More on the 2023 MLB Draft

The 2023 Major League Baseball Draft will begin during All-Star week, with the first two rounds getting underway at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 9. Rounds 3-10 will then begin at 2 p.m. ET on Monday, July 10, with rounds 11-20 starting at 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 11.

This year’s MLB Draft is a historic one, as a draft lottery was used to determine the order for the first time. The Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Oakland Athletics each had a 16.5% chance to receive the No. 1 overall pick. Ultimately, Pittsburgh won the right to have the first selection, with Washington finishing right behind them at No. 2. Oakland, however, fell all the way down to No. 6 overall.

While the MLB Draft is always unpredictable, the consensus is that this year’s top prospects both hail from LSU, who won the 2023 College World Series. Pitcher Paul Skenes and outfielder Dylan Crews headline this year’s class, which is considered a deep one.

Within the first ten rounds of the draft, each slot is assigned a certain value. Each team has a bonus pool that they are able to spend on these picks, and players will sign at, above or below their assigned slot value.

In rounds 11-20, there is no assigned slot value and MLB teams are free to spend up to $150,000 to sign their picks from the second half of the draft. If they exceed the $150,000 mark, that added amount will be deducted from their bonus pool.

Following the final day of the 2023 MLB Draft, selected players like Elijah Nunez will have until August 1 to sign a contract.