Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics
WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita State junior infielder Brock Rodden was selected in the 5th Round of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners on Monday afternoon. He was the 160th overall selection, the highest drafted Shocker since Alec Bohm (2nd overall) and Greyson Jenista (49th overall) in 2018.
Rodden was picked in the 10th round of last season's draft, but was one of just three players selected in the top 10 rounds who did not sign. The slot value for Rodden's pick this year is $374,400, compared to $151,300 for the 304th overall selection in 2022.
The Shockers have now had a player picked in 43 consecutive MLB drafts with the exception of 2020, which was shortened to just five rounds due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rodden was recognized as a Third Team All-American by both Collegiate Baseball and ABCA/Rawlings after authoring a spectacular 2023 season as Wichita State's everyday second baseman, slashing .371/.474/.701 to lead the conference in both on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The switch-hitter hammered 18 doubles, two triples and 17 home runs, good for 155 total bases that tied for the top mark in the AAC. His .371 batting average, 62 runs scored and 64 RBI all finished second on the circuit. Rodden started all 55 games for the Shockers, leading the team with 26 multi-hit games and tying for the team lead with 18 multi-RBI games. Rodden was recognized as the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and was a unanimous First Team All-Conference selection.
The native of Oktaha, Oklahoma produced a pair of two-homer games (UMass on 3/25, Kansas State on 4/18) and compiled Wichita State's longest hitting streak of the season at 18 games. He also added 12 stolen bases in 15 attempts in addition to a keen batting eye that produced 39 walks to only 26 strikeouts.
Rodden took his game to another level down the stretch. Over the final three weeks of the season, Rodden hit .556 (20-for-36) with four doubles and four home runs, notching three three-hit games and a career-best four hits against South Florida on May 13.
In two seasons as a Shocker, Rodden compiled a .355 batting average, 31 doubles, four triples, 34 home runs and 112 RBI.
The MLB Draft concludes on Tuesday with rounds 11-20, beginning at 1:00 pm CT.