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A pair of Long Beach State righthanders were selected on Day 2 of the 2022 MLB Draft, with Luis Ramirez going to the Texas Rangers in Round 7 and Devereaux Harrison coming off the board in Round 9 to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Ramirez was an All-American for the Dirtbags in 2020 as a starting pitcher, but struggled to stay healthy during this past season. At one point, Ramirez was projected as a possible first round selection, but shoulder issues limited him to just seven starts in 2022.
He made a statement in LBSU’s season opener, tossing six no-hit innings on the road at No. 3 Mississippi State, earning National Pitcher of the Week honors. Ramirez was also named Big West Pitcher of the Week on Mar. 21 after seven shutout innings and 10 strikeouts against Hawai’i. In total, Ramirez was 2-1 with a 2.14 ERA last season, striking out 38 batters in 33.2 innings pitched. The Rangers selected Ramirez with pick No. 199, which comes with an assigned pick value of $244,800.
Harrison came into the 2022 season with lofty expectations and had a tumultuous year in a variety of roles. The Dirtbags’ closer was on four Preseason All-American teams, and was even on the preseason watch list for the Stopper of the Year and the Golden Spikes Award. The sophomore righthander ended up with 17 appearances on the mound, making a pair of starts while also leading the team with five saves. He also appeared in 11 games as a batter, hitting .179 in 28 at-bats.
He struggled to a 6.15 ERA this past season, but certainly has the stuff to project as a big league arm. Harrison was a Freshman All-American in 2021 and was invited to play with Team USA’s Collegiate National Team that summer. The Blue Jays selected Harrison with the 278th pick in this year’s draft with a pick value of $158,500.
Long Beach State has now had multiple players drafted in 21 consecutive MLB Drafts dating back to 2001. In that time, the Dirtbags have had a total of 107 players selected.
The 2022 MLB Draft concludes on Tuesday with rounds 11-20.
