Oregon pitcher Adam Maier selected by Atlanta Braves in seventh round of MLB Draft
The 2022 campaign was a lost season of sorts for Oregon right-handed pitcher Adam Maier. But that hasn’t stopped one Major League team from using a fairly valuable pick on the Ducks’ sophomore.
The Atlanta Braves selected Maier in the seventh round with the 215th overall pick on Monday. He is the fifth Duck off the board after the following players were selected earlier in the draft:
- SS Josh Kasevich selected in round 2 (60th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays
- OF Anthony Hall selected in round 4 (130) by the New York Yankees
- 1B/DH Brennan Milone selected in round 6 (184) by the Oakland Athletics
Oregon commit Jackson Cox, a right-handed pitcher from Washington who is the gem of the Ducks’ 2022 recruiting class, was selected 50th overall by the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
Maier arrived at Oregon with no shortage of hype. He burst onto the scene as one of the more electric pitcher in the Cape Cod League last summer after spending his first two seasons at the University of British Columbia — the second of which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
His performance in the Cape Cod catapulted Maier up 2022 draft boards. At one point, he was a unanimous top-100 prospect who was creating first-round chatter.
But he made just three starts before an elbow injury ended his season. That injury did not require Tommy John surgery. At the time, Kendall Rogers of D1 Baseball reported that it’s “likely” Maier would return to Oregon for another season.
In three starts this season, Maier struck out 19 batters in 15 2/3 innings while carrying a 4.02 ERA.
The slot value for the 215th overall pick is approximately $215,000.
Maier’s mix of a solid fastball and wipeout slider make him an intriguing prospect who could potentially be drafted much higher in 2023 if he produces a strong season at Oregon.
Major League teams have until August 1 to sign their draft picks.
