Notre Dame’s Jack Brannigan named top MLB Draft prospect in Indiana
Third baseman and pitcher Jack Brannigan has two more years of collegiate eligibility if he’d like to stick around at Notre Dame, but the professional option might be the way to go for the rising senior.
On Tuesday, Sam Dykstra of MLB.com released his top MLB Draft prospect from every state, and Brannigan made the list for Indiana. He is also listed as the No. 164 player overall.
Brannigan primarily played third base for the Irish during their College World Series run this year, but the pros might not be looking at him for his infield skills.
“Teams seem most intrigued by Brannigan’s potential on the mound, considering he sits 95-97 mph and can throw a mid-80s wipeout slider,” Dykstra said. “One issue: he only threw 14 2/3 innings this season and might prefer to be looked at as a third baseman, having slashed .291/.360/.540 with 12 homers in 57 games this spring. His draft placement (and announced position) could prove fascinating.”
In addition to the aforementioned batting statistics, Brannigan led the team with 15 doubles and was tied for second with 62 hits.
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The 6-1, 190-pound righty out of Orland Park (Ill.) Marist had a 2-2 record and 7.36 ERA over 11 appearances on the mound in 2022. He struck out 28 batters.
Brannigan’s powerful arm was evident even while playing third base, as he frequently threw hard, on-target balls to first base for outs in what often seemed like impossible situations. He recorded 47 putouts and 101 assists with a .974 fielding percentage last year.
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As a result of his play in a number of capacities, Brannigan was named a third team All-American by Perfect Game. He was also named a member of the Statesboro Regional All-Tournament Team and hit the go ahead home run against Georgia Southern to send Notre Dame to the Knoxville Super Regional. When the Irish took on No. 1 Tennessee in Game 3 of said super regional, Brannigan once again came up with a go-ahead home run. Notre Dame ultimately won the game 7-3 and reached the College World Series for the first time since 2002.
The MLB Draft begins on Sunday, July 17 and lasts until Tuesday, July 19. There will be 20 rounds and 616 total selections.
