UK's Austin Strickland Chosen by Pirates in MLB Draft

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Pitcher Austin Strickland was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the eighth round of the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft with the No. 227 overall pick, making him the seventh pitcher selected from UK in the last three drafts under the tutelage of pitching coach Dan Roszel.

Austin Strickland (UK Athletics Photo)

Strickland, from Winchester, Ohio, cemented his status as a potential-filled righthander in back-to-back starts versus national runner-up Florida and in a NCAA Regional elimination game. He threw 6.2 strong innings against the Gators and six shutout innings against a potent Mountaineers offense.

For his three-year career he has gone 7-7 with a 5.28 earned run average and 124 strikeouts in 102.1 innings. Per NCAA eligibility rules he could opt to spurn the Pirates and return to Kentucky if he chooses.

UK now has had 32 total draft picks under head coach Nick Mingione and his staff since 2017, including 20 in the top 10 rounds.

The draft concludes on Tuesday with rounds 10 through 20.