Four BYU baseball players selected in 2022 MLB draft

Four BYU baseball players heard their names called in this weekend’s Major League Baseball first-year player draft, the most draft picks out of Provo since 2013.

Infielder Andrew Pintar was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the fifth round with the 138th overall pick of the draft despite playing in just 17 games in 2022 due to injuries. Pintar was BYU’s highest draft pick since Jackson Cluff was taken by the Washington Nationals in 2019’s sixth round.

According to the draft’s bonus pool values, Pintar’s selection at No. 138 is valued at $422,400 for Arizona.

Left-handed pitcher Cy Nielson followed Pintar in the eighth round to the Pittsburgh Pirates as the 230th player taken, with fellow pitchers Nate Dahle and Cooper McKeehan selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 13th round and Kansas City Royals in the 16th round, respectively.

Pintar got off to a slow start in 2022 prior to his season-ending injury but was named First Team All-WCC in 2021 after hitting .333 with nine home runs in his sophomore campaign.

Dahle piled up 61 strikeouts over 42 2/3 innings with a 2.74 ERA this season, McKeehan recorded 41 punchouts with a 1.56 ERA and Nielson picked up three wins with 45 strikeouts and a 3.21 ERA.

With additional eligibility and finances still in question, it’s unclear whether all four Cougar selections will sign with their drafted teams, although sources have indicated that Pintar is expected to sign with the Diamondbacks.