Rafe Schlesinger, a left-handed pitcher for the Miami Hurricanes, was chosen by the Cleveland Guardians on Monday with the 113th overall choice in the fourth round of the MLB Draft, making him the first athlete from UM to be selected. With Gage Ziehl going 119th to the New York Yankees and Herick Hernandez going 129th to the Atlanta Braves, he was the first of three Hurricanes picked in the fourth round.
Here’s all you need to know about UM’s current situation following two days of the draft, which will see Rounds 11–20 on Tuesday.
Schlesinger spent his first two seasons in the bullpen before entering the weekend rotation as a junior. In 15 starts, he pitched to a 5.83 ERA in 2024, recording 73 strikeouts against 25 walks in 78 2/3 innings, but his results were uneven. He pitched at least six innings in five quality starts, which is defined as giving up no more than three earned runs; yet, he also had three outings in which he lasted fewer than five innings and gave up seven or more runs. However, MLB organizations always believe that left-handed pitchers have potential. Intrigue is further increased by Schlesinger’s stature (6-3, 200 pounds) and pitch combination (a fastball from a lower slot that averages 92 mph and touches 97 mph in addition to a slider and changeup).
Schlesinger’s arm slot and delivery funk can work in both positive and negative ways. Although he’s done a better job of finding the strike zone this spring, it can make at-bats uncomfortable for hitters and has also resulted in inconsistent pitch execution and command, according to Schlesinger’s MLB Pipeline scouting report. Schlesinger is ranked as the No. 147 prospect this draft cycle. “Teams looking at him early in the Draft know he could be pretty nasty if he needs to go back to the bullpen, but he’ll need that changeup against right-handed hitters if he wants to have a chance to start.”
Over 100 innings in 15 starts, Ziehl had a 3.87 ERA at the conclusion of his junior campaign. On March 15 against North Carolina and March 28 against Clemson, he threw two complete games. In addition, he pitched at least six innings with no more than three earned runs allowed in eight strong starts. Five of the excellent starts came in ACC competition (UNC, Clemson twice, Georgia Tech and Florida State twice in the regular season and twice in the ACC Tournament). Florida and BYU were opposed by two of the others.
Ziehl had 61 appearances (31 starts) across his three years at UM, going 15-9 with a 4.07 ERA and 241 strikeouts in 227 2/3 innings. As a sophomore and junior, Ziehl was the star of Miami’s weekend rotation after making his debut in the bullpen as a freshman.
Ziehl was broken down by MLB Pipeline, which rated him as the No. 89 prospect in this year’s draft: “The 6-foot right-hander has three good pitches and can use his stuff late into games when he’s at his best. As a starter, his fastball has averaged about 93 mph and can reach up to 95 mph; as a freshman, it reached 97 mph out of the bullpen. He moved to higher spin four-seamers up in the zone and can move it around quite effectively. He used to rely more on sink with his heater. Right now, his best pitch is a powerful cutter-like slider that he throws in the mid-80s. He also has feel for a changeup that works especially well against batters who are left-handed.
Ziehl was broken down by MLB Pipeline, which rated him as the No. 89 prospect in this year’s draft: “The 6-foot right-hander has three good pitches and can use his stuff late into games when he’s at his best. As a starter, his fastball has averaged about 93 mph and can reach up to 95 mph; as a freshman, it reached 97 mph out of the bullpen. He moved to higher spin four-seamers up in the zone and can move it around quite effectively. He used to rely more on sink with his heater. Right now, his best pitch is a powerful cutter-like slider that he throws in the mid-80s. He also has feel for a changeup that works especially well against batters who are left-handed.
Hernandez, a lefty who was born and raised in Hialeah and attended Miami Dade College for his undergraduate studies, played for the Hurricanes for one season. 15 appearances (14 starts) and 70 1/3 innings later, he had struck out 95 batters. In its scouting report, Baseball America mentioned Hernandez’s “intriguing fastball traits.”
“On the pitch, he had above-average induced vertical break, yet he averaged 92 mph and reached as high as 95. He has a hard changeup in the upper 80s and a mid-70s curveball that may be superior to his low-80s slider, but both of his secondaries are at best erratic and in need of improvement.
After the first two days, three high school players who committed to Miami were also selected: David Shields, a left-handed pitcher from Pittsburgh Mount Lebanon High School, went No. 41 overall to the Kansas City Royals, Miami Christian shortstop Ronny Cruz will be selected by the Chicago Cubs at number 90, and left-hander Johnny King of Naples will be selected by the Toronto Blue Jays at number 95. Although it’s not a guarantee, being picked makes it less likely that these prospects will visit colleges. Teams focus on signability during the first two days of the draft because players must sign in order for the bonus pool money associated with their selection to be counted.
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