Chandler native Gavin Turley highlights D-backs’ Day 3 MLB Draft picks

Jul 19, 2022, 4:03 PM

(Twitter photo / @gavturley)

The Arizona Diamondbacks rounded out their 2022 class with 10 picks on Tuesday, Day 3 of the 2022 MLB Draft.

The D-backs owned the No. 2 overall selection and used it on high school outfielder Druw Jones on Sunday. Their Day 1 choices, which also include Mississippi right-handed pitcher Landon Sims and Texas first baseman Ivan Melendez, were praised by several MLB analysts.

A look at how Arizona used its selections on Tuesday, including local product Gavin Turley in Round 19:

Round 11 (No. 318): Spencer Giesting, LHP, UNC Charlotte

Giesting is a 6-foot-4 southpaw from Ohio who played two college seasons at UNC Charlotte.

The 21-year-old primarily pitched in relief over the past two years and made 21 appearances in 2022 (six starts).

Giesting owned a 3.72 ERA with 105 punch outs in 75 innings.

. @SpencerGiesting now in and he picks up a K in a scoreless inning. ⚾️⛏🔥 pic.twitter.com/YtgwiBLrVY

— Diamond Niner Report (@Diamond9erRPT) January 28, 2022

Round 12 (No. 348): Malachi Witherspoon, RHP, Fletcher HS (FL)

Witherspoon is a 17-year-old who can hit the mid-90s with his heater and is committed to play college ball at Jacksonville.

He is a Florida native who played at Fletcher High School in Neptune Beach.

The 6-foot-3 pitcher is No. 148 on MLB.com’s Top 250 Draft Prospects list.

Round 13 (No. 378): Eli Saul, RHP, Sacramento State

The D-backs went for a third straight arm in the 13th round with Saul, a 6-foot-5 prospect who played three college seasons.

The Vancouver native started 15 games in 2022 for the Hornets and helmed a 3.71 ERA.

Got ’em! Eli Saul’s first strikeout of the night, a big swing and miss in the second. #StingersUp

B2 | SAC 0, GCU 0 pic.twitter.com/a67VvP5s1M

— Sac State Baseball (@SacStBaseball) May 29, 2021

Round 14 (No. 408): Kevin Graham, OF, Mississippi

The D-backs’ next pick hit cleanup and started in left field for the 2022 College World Series champion Rebels during their title-clinching win.

Graham had nine hits in six games in Omaha, including a home run against Auburn.

The outfielder played four years at Mississippi (182 games) and blasted 38 home runs, 25 of which came over the past two seasons.

Graham hit .335 in 2022 and .342 in 2021.

Kevin Graham with the solo 💣!

📺 ESPN2#MCWS x @OleMissBSB pic.twitter.com/3fryM814YY

— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 18, 2022

Round 15 (No. 438): Joshua Day, SS, Missouri

Day played four college seasons, half of which were at Missouri.

The righty made Second Team All-SEC in 2022 after starting 49 games with a slash line of .332/.425/.503.

Day blasted a walk-off home run in May.

How about Josh Day belting a walk off back side bomb to give @MizzouBaseball the 7-6 win over Mississippi State pic.twitter.com/99OWvadM4t

— D1Baseball (@d1baseball) May 1, 2022

Round 16 (No. 468): David Martin, C, California Baptist

Martin made the 2022 First Team All-WAC after a breakout season with the Lancers.

The D-backs draftee hit .395 and showed power from the left side with a .542 slugging percentage.

Round 17 (No. 498): Logan Clayton, RHP, Houston

Arizona went with another tall righty by drafting Clayton, who pitched in 27 games with nine starts last year with Houston.

The 6-foot-5, 192-pound pitcher went on a strong run toward the end of the season in which he allowed one earned run in 12 innings. He finished with a 5.80 ERA.

Round 18 (No. 528): Aiva Arquette, SS, Saint Louis School (HI)

Arquette was the No. 2 player in his class from Hawaii ranked by Perfect Game.

He is a Washington commit who hits right-handed and brings size to the infield at 6-foot-4.

Round 19 (No. 558): Gavin Turley, OF, Hamilton HS (AZ)

Turley is the No. 1 player in Arizona from his class and the fifth-ranked outfielder nationally by Perfect Game.

Right-handed hitter with plus-plus bat speed. Slightly open stance with a higher hand set. On time with the leg lift and lets his body uncoil on time. Explosive offensive tools. Real power with leverage. Violence through contact with a massive offensive ceiling.

The 6-foot-2 righty hit .331 over the past two seasons with 19 homes runs, according to MaxPreps. He also won a 2022 High School Rawlings Gold Glove.

Turley came in at No. 107 on MLB.com’s Top 250 Draft Prospects list and is committed to play at Oregon State.