FSU RHP Jackson Baumeister selected late in Round 2 of MLB Draft; commit Arjun Nimmala goes in Round 1
The first night of the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft went well for a couple of Seminoles, but probably not all that great for Florida State’s 2024 season.
Right-handed pitcher Jackson Baumeister, who took over as FSU’s Friday night ace this past season, was selected with the 63rd pick Sunday by the Baltimore Orioles.
The predetermined slot value for that pick is $1,243,300, which likely will be very difficult for Baumeister to pass on in order to return for his junior season. Even though he is only two years removed from high school, the sophomore from Jacksonville was eligible to be drafted because he turned 21 today.
Florida State also saw 2023 shortstop commit Arjun Nimmala taken with the 20th pick of the first round by the Toronto Blue Jays. The slot for that selection is $3,746,000, and there has been no expectation of the Tampa-area prospect enrolling in college.
While Nimmala’s early selection was expected, the Baumeister pick was somewhat surprising.
Baseball America projected him as the No. 69 prospect in this draft, while MLB.com had him just outside the top 150. He ended up going with one of the Competitive Balance Round B picks at the end of the second round.
Coming into his sophomore season, Baumeister had only started two games in college and finished his freshman campaign with 27.1 innings pitched in 19 appearances. But the 6-foot-4 righty stepped up into a starter’s role this spring and moved into the Friday night spot early in the season.
Baumeister went 5-5 with a 5.09 ERA in 2023, but he flashed big-time potential and was dominant at times. He was named ACC Pitcher of the Week after striking out 14 batters in seven innings at Clemson, and he was named third-team All-ACC after the season.
For the season, Baumeister recorded a team-high 95 strikeouts in 69.0 innings. In late-April, he struck out nine hitters in back-to-back games against Virginia Tech and Notre Dame.
See our pre-draft story for a look at other FSU players and signees who could be selected when the draft continues on Monday with Rounds 3 through 10. The final 10 rounds will be held on Tuesday.
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