For the last twenty years, Texas A&M has annually sent three or more players to the MLB Draft, the longest lasting streak of its kind in the nation.
In 2021, A&M bolstered the legacy with four players departing from College Station and beginning their respective professional careers.
On July 12, the second day of the Major League Baseball Draft, three Aggies were selected: left-handed pitcher Dustin Saenz, right-handed pitcher Bryce Miller and first baseman Will Frizzell. On the draft’s final day, relief pitcher Chandler Jozwiak was picked.
Saenz was selected by the Washington Nationals with the 112th overall pick. This season, Seanz posted a 4.27 ERA, a 6-6 record and 104 strikeouts through 84.1 innings.
The Corpus Christi native pitched four seasons for A&M, playing in 47 games with 23 starts. Through his collegiate career, Saenz earned a 10-7 record and a 4.13 ERA, tallying up 158 strikeouts in 150.1 innings pitched.
Miller followed Saenz as the next pick in the draft, marking the first time since 2013 that Aggies have been picked back-to-back in the MLB Draft. Miller was selected as the 113th pick by the Seattle Mariners. This season, Miller played in 13 games, starting 10 of them. He registered a 3-2 record with a 4.45 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 56.2 innings, holding opponents to a .227 batting average.
Miller played three seasons with the Aggies, posting an 8-6 record with four saves, a 4.07 ERA and 141 strikeouts in 110.2 innings.
Since 2015, 13 A&M pitchers were drafted in the first five rounds, the most of any Texas school. After the 2021 draft, this number increased to 15.
With the 233rd pick, Frizzell was chosen by the Washington Nationals, joining Saenz in its system. The Rockwall native was named to the Collegiate Baseball NCAA Division I All-America Second Team as well as the All-SEC First Team in 2021.
The Rockwall native was eighth in home runs in the NCAA and third in the SEC with 19 through the regular season. Additionally, Frizzell led the SEC with a .686 slugging percentage.
During his four years playing for the Aggies, he played 177 games with a .292 batting average, 102 runs, 33 doubles, 30 home runs and 115 RBIs. In 2021, he ascended the Aggies’ home run charts by ending the campaign ranked fourth on the single-season list and eighth on the career scroll.
With the 389th pick, the Miami Marlins selected Jozwiak. The left-handed pitcher led the Aggies out of the bullpen in 2021 with eight saves and a WHIP of 1.16. His 3.48 ERA was good for second on the team as Jozwiak struck out 79 batters in 62 innings.
In a 2-0 win against Texas, Jozwiak displayed his talent in a two inning effort. He struck out three batters and only allowed seven to reach the plate to secure the win. The Brenham native struck out 216 batters in 180 innings through his collegiate career.
With the draft officially concluded and A&M expanding its successful streak of sending athletes to the big leagues, a new era under the guidance of coach Jim Schlossnagle looks to continue the trend.
