:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46503182/SborzKirby.0.0.jpg)
Even though many expected him to be drafted in the 1st round, Nathan Kirby can not be too mad about "slipping" to the 40th spot in this year's MLB Draft.
The left was the 40th overall pick and selected by the Milwaukee Brewers as the 5th pick in the "Competitive Balance A" round. The Competitive Balance A and B rounds are a lottery that teams enter to try and gain compensation picks for either a small market or revenue pools. Better explained by the MLB, here.
Unfortunately for the UVa fans, Kirby was likely drafted high enough for him to forego his senior season, which many of us expected. The "slot" money for his draft position is about $1.545 Million, and should he pass his physical with the Brewers, Kirby will likely get that money. So, if you could ignore that and come back for another year of college, more power too you. For the rest of us, let's just hope we get one more glimpse of Kirby in orange and blue this weekend in Omaha.
Surprisingly, Josh Sborz was the second Cavalier taken yesterday in the draft. Many expected OF Joe McCarthy to be the second UVa player to hear his name called, but it was the closer who was drafted in the "Competitive Balance B" round by the LA Dodgers. Selected 74th overall, the "slot" for his position set out by MLB is about $827K, quite a sum.
Kirby and Sborz represented the 115th and 116th Cavaliers drafted in the MLB draft. The two were also the 60th and 61st players drafted under Coach O'Connor, with Kirby being the 9th Cavalier ever taken in the first or Compensation round. Last year, Nick Howard was drafted in the first round, while Derek Fisher and Mike Papi were taken back to back in the Compensation Round.
At 12:30 today, the draft starts back up as teams will pick rounds 3-10. I would put good money that Joe McCarthy hears his name called pretty early today. The 3rd year projects really well given his size and speed. I would also expect Brandon Waddell and Danny Pinero to be drafted today as well. As for recruits that could be drafted high enough to possibly forego their commitment to UVa, watch out for Doak Dozier, an Of out of TX, Ryan Karstetter, an INF from FL, and Evan Sperling, a RHP from the greatest high school in Virginia, Grafton, in Yorktown.
No matter what happens today or the rest of the draft, this year's Cavalier team takes on Arkansas in the College World Series this Saturday at 3 EST.