Nats draft Oklahoma LHP Jake Bennett in second round

Jake Bennett and Cade Cavalli shared the identical dugout in highschool and faculty. After the Nationals drafted Bennett within the second spherical of Sunday’s 2022 MLB Draft, the pair of former teammates might have the possibility to take action once more in Washington.

The Nationals took Bennett forty fifth total, 40 picks after they made highschool outfielder Elijah Inexperienced their prime number of the night time. A left-handed pitcher out of Oklahoma, Bennett is coming off a collegiate season wherein he went 10-4 with a 3.69 ERA as he helped the Sooners attain the School World Sequence.

Washington initially drafted Bennett within the thirty ninth spherical of the 2019 MLB Draft, however he opted as a substitute to honor his dedication to Oklahoma. This time, the Nationals made certain he didn’t make it previous the second spherical.

Listed at 6-foot-6, 234 kilos, the 21-year-old Bennett throws round 91-94 mph together with his fastball, which is complemented by a repertoire that features a slider and changeup. He racked up 133 strikeouts to only 22 walks final season, showcasing robust management with all three of his pitches. He turned it up throughout the postseason,

Bennett is the third Oklahoma pitcher the Nationals have drafted within the final 4 years, becoming a member of Cavalli (2020 first spherical) and right-hander Jake Irvin (2018 fourth spherical). Cavalli, the Nationals’ consensus prime pitching prospect, is 4-3 with a 4.31 ERA in 15 begins for Triple-A Rochester this season.