North Carolina boasts two of MLB Draft’s first 10 picks, three players in first round

North Carolina-based players took up two of the top 10 spots in the first round of the MLB Draft on Sunday. Wake Forest’s Rhett Lowder and South Brunswick High School’s Walter Jenkins heard their names called last night from Lumen Field in Seattle, their major-league journeys just beginning.

Lowder, drafted by the Cincinnati Reds at No. 7 overall, was Wake Forest’s ace during the team’s historic season. The Demon Deacons exited the 2023 carousel ranked No. 1 in the country on a College World Series run — a run in which Lowder pitched seven shutout innings in a win against eventual champion LSU.

He finished his three-year career with back-to-back ACC Pitcher of the Year awards and a 30-5 record. A perfect 15-0 with a 1.87 ERA his final season, Lowder collected a program-record 143 strikeouts in 2023 — a stunning number when measured up to his 24 walks. An Albemarle native, he played at North Stanly High School.

“Rhett is an advanced college pitcher with a strong three-pitch mix and excellent pitchability,” said Reds amateur scouting director Joe Katsuka in a statement. “His competitiveness and consistent quality execution throughout a long season impressed our entire staff.”

Lowder’s arsenal consists of at least three pitches with his mid-80s changeup known to be particularly dangerous. Katsuka also said Lowder, now 21, “should be able to move pretty quickly,” meaning his path to the Reds’ major-league club could be slightly expedited compared to other draft picks with less high-level experience.

Outfielder Walter Jenkins, from South Brunswick High School in Southport, was selected at No. 5 overall by the Minnesota Twins. Jenkins is the reigning two-time Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year, boasting a .417 batting average while scoring 33 runs his senior year.

It’s no wonder ESPN named him the best player born in 2005 — he walked 32 of his 95 plate appearances, contributing to a .632 on-base percentage.

ESPN’s Dan Mullen, in his draft day scouting report, said “Jenkins packs high-end raw power into a compact swing,” nodding to the teenager’s potential to be a big-time hitter in the future.

The final first-round pick hailing from North Carolina was Brock Wilken, taken at No. 18 by the Milwaukee Brewers. A third baseman and pure hitter, Wilken set a freshman record his first season, 2021, at Wake Forest with 17 home runs — in 2023, he hit 31 to take over the school’s all-time record as well. Before joining the Deacons, he played at Bloomingdale High School in Valrico, Florida.

“Things happen for a reason,” Wilken told MLB, “and I couldn’t be happier to be a Brewer right now.”