LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville baseball program had four student-athletes selected on Day Two of the 2022 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft on Monday.
Jared Poland was picked by the Miami Marlins in the sixth round with the 172nd pick, while Michael Prosecky was selected four picks later at 176 by the Colorado Rockies. Ben Metzinger was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the seventh round with the 222nd pick. Levi Usher capped Louisville’s day with a 10th-round selection at pick 295 by the Kansas City Royals.
Louisville is now up to 99 overall draft selections during head coach Dan McDonnell‘s 16-year tenure. The quartet selected on Monday join Dalton Rushing, who was taken with the first pick of the second round at 40th overall on Sunday night.
Poland turned in a strong senior season this spring after battling injuries in 2021. The right-hander worked as Louisville’s Friday night starter and finished with a 5-5 record and 3.46 ERA. Poland struck out 103 batters in 83.1 innings and ranked top 10 in the ACC in ERA, strikeouts and strikeouts-per-nine innings on his way to second team All-ACC honors.
Prosecky served as the Louisville closer in 2022 and was a second team All-ACC selection. The southpaw was 2-1 with 11 saves and a 3.38 ERA. Prosecky struck out 44 hitters in 37.1 innings and his 11 saves were the second-highest total in the ACC and tied for the seventh-most in a single season in program history.
Metzinger was the only Cardinal to start all 64 games this spring, posting a .312 batting average and setting career highs in every statistical category. The Louisville native finished with 14 doubles, two triples, 19 home runs, 69 RBIs, 66 runs scored and 11 stolen bases. Metzinger also had 51 walks, which were the 10th-most in a single season in program history. Metzinger was a third team All-ACC selection and ranked top 15 in the ACC in walks, hits, runs, home runs, RBIs and total bases.
Usher started 63 of 64 games in centerfield for the Cardinals this season, finishing with a .285 average, 15 doubles, three triples and seven home runs. He also drove in 49 and scored 53 runs. Usher swiped 36 bases in 39 tries tying for the sixth-most stolen bases in program history and leading the ACC. The Fairfax, Iowa, native was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and was a…
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