The FSU baseball team is getting ready to host the Tallahassee Regional and is the No. 9 overall seed in the NCAA Baseball Tournament. One of the keys to their success this season has been their starting pitching, which is led by ace Jamie Arnold.
The lefty is one of the top pitchers in the country and is set to hear his name called early in the 2025 MLB draft later this summer. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel released his first mock draft of the year on Wednesday and has Arnold going to the Pittsburgh Pirates with the No. 6 overall pick.
He mentioned him with the first five picks, but ultimately has him going sixth overall, despite ranking Arnold as the best prospect in the draft. McDaniel thinks the Pirates will select Arnold due to his “solid chance to be the best pitcher in this class.”
Arnold is enjoying a strong junior season, he is 7-2 with a 3.04 ERA in 71 innings pitched. He has held opponents to a .207 batting average and a 1.07 WHIP. He has recorded 97 strikeouts to just 24 walks, however, he has hit 14 batters.
If the projection holds, Arnold would be the highest drafted Seminole since Buster Posey went 5th overall to the San Francisco Giants in the 2008 MLB draft. Arnold is looking to become the first FSU pitcher drafted in the first round since Luke Weaver in 2014. The Pirates have never drafted an FSU player in the first round.
The 2025 MLB draft will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, and last from July 13-14. The Seminoles had two first-round picks last year in James Tibbs III and Cam Smith.
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