Diamondbacks draft Clemson 2-way player Caden Grice with No. 64 pick
Jul 9, 2023, 8:44 PM | Updated: 9:41 pm
Caden Grice #31 of the Clemson Tigers celebrates their win over the Miami Hurricanes for the ACC Baseball Championship at Durham Bulls Athletic Park on May 28, 2023 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
(Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
The Arizona Diamondbacks took two-way player Caden Grice with the No. 64 pick in Competitive Balance Round B during the 2023 MLB Draft on Sunday night.
Grice is a left-handed pitcher and first baseman, but he was announced at the draft in Seattle as a pitcher.
Diamondbacks director of amateur scouting Ian Rebhan made it clear they selected Grice to pitch for the organization.
“We think he’s got great feel to pitch, he’s obviously got a three-pitch mix with the fastball, curveball and changeup,” Rebhan told reporters on Sunday.
“We think he’s got the mix, the strike-throwing ability, the feel, the size, all of those boxes that check to be a really good left-handed pitcher in the big leagues.”
Grice is 6-foot-6, 250 pounds and bats left-handed, too.
He started 14 games on the hill as a junior in 2023 and finished with a 4.04 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. He struck out 101 batters in 78 innings with 33 walks.
The South Carolina native also hit 18 home runs with a 1.029 OPS in 275 plate appearances.
He made the All-ACC second team for the Tigers.
His name is Caden Grice and he hits grand slams!
That is the third grand slam of the season for the @ClemsonBaseball junior.#NCAABaseball x 🎥 ACCN / @ACCBaseball pic.twitter.com/QJBWen9xab
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) May 25, 2023
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Grice pitched a lot more as a junior this past season than during his first two years. He only appeared in 12 games on the mound in 2021 and 2022.
The D-backs went all in on college talent with their first three picks.
Grice joins Stanford infielder/outfielder Tommy Troy and NC State third baseman Gino Groover in Arizona’s draft class.
Rebhan said that was just how the draft unfolded and not a specific strategy.
Troy was the No. 12 overall pick in the first round, while Groover went No. 48 in Round 2.
The D-backs have built much of the current roster with recent draft picks coming up through the system.
Corbin Carroll (2019), Alek Thomas (2018), Jake McCarthy (2018), Ryne Nelson (2019) and Tommy Henry (2019) were all picked by general manager Mike Hazen and Co.
The MLB Draft continues Monday at 11 a.m. with Rounds 3-10. The final 10 rounds will be held on Tuesday at 11 a.m. before the All-Star Game at T-Mobile Park at 5 p.m.
