Alabama Pitcher Dylan Smith Drafted By Detroit Tigers
Alabama junior pitcher Dylan Smith was drafted with the No. 74 pick today in the 2021 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers. Smith was taken with the third pick in the third round, he is the highest Bama pitcher to be selected since Spencer Turnbull was taken in the second round in 2014.
Smith pitched in 33 games for the Crimson Tide with 17 starts, 16 coming in his most recent season. The Stafford, TX. native led the Tide in innings pitched with 98.1 and strikeouts with 113 this past season. His 113 strikeouts are good for third on the Alabama single-season list.
In 2021 Smith notched a 3.85 ERA and managed a 2-8 record as a midweek starter. Smith was unfortunately plagued each outing with poor run support, the Bama offense averaged 2.75 runs per 9 innings of Smith work, causing the right-hander's record to suffer.
Smith was a reliable starter this past year for the Tide, he worked 5 or more innings in 10 of his 16 starts saving the Alabama bullpen. He turned in Alabama's first complete game since 2019 when he allowed just one run and struck out seven batters defeating Rider 3-1 in the NCAA Ruston Regional.
Smith is the 10th Alabama pitcher drafted in the top-three rounds of the MLB Draft and is the fifth right-hander following Skip Ames (1996), Tommy Hunter (2007), Jimmy Nelson (2010) and Turnbull (2014).
After being drafted, players with remaining eligibility may opt to return to college and continue their career in order to try to improve their draft position should they choose not to sign a professional contract.