OF Brendan Summerhill the 1st of Arizona Wildcats to be picked in MLB Draft

Arizona Wildcats outfielder Brendan Summerhill was picked 42nd overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, going to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.

The No. 16 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline fell all the way to No. 42 in the competitive balance round A. He was also ranked No. 22 by Baseball America.

Summerhill will have a projected signing bonus of $2.3 million. Tampa acquired the pick from the Athletics after trading Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez.

Summerhill spent last season playing right field and led the Wildcats to their first College World Series appearance since 2021. A season impacted by injuries, he missed 16 games with a fractured right hand and was sidelined five more games with a hamstring ailment. The junior slashed .343/.459/.556 and hit four home runs and added 34 RBIs in 44 games.

Brendan Summerhill ranked 16th by @MLBDraft falls 42nd overall to the Rays!

Grades:
Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55

.343/.459/.556 (1.015 OPS) in 2025. Great plate vision, walked 36x & struck out 24x in 2025

pic.twitter.com/qN0h0hnLoU

— Coach SA (@CoachSA_) July 14, 2025

Summerhill was the first of three Wildcats expected to be selected in the 2025 draft.

After catcher Austin Wells (2020), catcher Daniel Susac (2022) and outfielder Chase Davis (2023), Summerhill is the fourth Wildcat to be taken in the first round in the past six years.

Summerhill is also the fourth Arizona player to be picked by Tampa Bay, after Joey Rickard (2012), Johnny Field (2013) and TJ Nichols (2023).

Arizona’s Aaron Walton goes to Cleveland Guardians at No. 66 overall

Arizona outfielder Aaron Walton was selected No. 66th overall by the Cleveland Guardians in the second round of the draft.

The No. 161 overall prospect per MLB pipeline spent his first two collegiate seasons playing for Samford before transferring to Arizona last season.

The junior started 65 games for the Wildcats and slashed .320/.437/.589. He hit 14 home runs and added 49 RBIs.

Shortstop Mason White (No. 143) is Arizona’s other top 250 prospect. Catcher Adonys Guzman could also hear his name called.

Aaron Walton 2025 College Baseball Highlights! | Arizona Wildcats | @aaronwalton_1 @ArizonaBaseball pic.twitter.com/0bFB34b1Ef

— Baseball is Everything (@ReportOnSports) June 27, 2025

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