WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue baseball's Jackson Smeltz was selected Monday in the Major League Baseball Draft as the San Diego Padres picked the dynamic lefthander in the 10th Round.
Smeltz had his named called with the 14th pick of the 10th round, the final round of sections on day 2 of the draft. He was the 300th pick overall, making the Lafayette native a top-10 round and top-300 overall selection. He's the first Boilermaker to be selected in the MLB Draft since Patrick J. Smith (33rd Round) in 2019 and the Boilermakers' highest pick since Tanner Andrews and Nick Dalesandro both also went in the 10th round in 2018.
With 79 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings this spring, Smeltz (12.40) eclipsed a minimum 30-inning strikeouts per nine innings team record that had stood since 1965. He was on pace to eclipse Purdue's single-season record (95) for punchouts as well before an injury sidelined him for the final month of the season. He was throwing bullpens again this summer and the Padres made him Purdue's highest-selected lefty ever. That distinction was previously held by Andy Loomis (16th Round in 2008).
Smeltz has been training under the tutelage of fellow McCutcheon High School graduate and former big league pitcher Clayton Richard, who was the featured speaker at Purdue's First Pitch Dinner in February to celebrate the forthcoming 2022 campaign. Richard had two extended stints with the Padres – first from 2009 to 2013 and again from 2016 to 2018 – spending at least portions of eight of his 11 big league seasons in San Diego. Eric Charles (29th Round in 2012) was the last Boilermaker drafted by the Padres.
Smeltz was Academic All-America and an All-Big Ten starting pitcher. He graduated in May with a higher cumulative GPA (3.70) than career ERA (3.08). After overcoming multiple injuries and other ailments dating back to his early teenage years, he finally put it all together this spring – compiling a 2.83 ERA, .198 batting average against and 1.08 WHIP in his 10 appearances.
Smeltz was honored as a Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week and the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week after a memorable 13-strikeout, one-hit shutout of rival Indiana at Alexander Field on April 9. He matched Dave Gassner, the Boilermakers' last lefthanded pitcher to make the big leagues, for the most strikeouts ever by a Purdue lefty. By game score (90), it was the finest performance ever in the 10-year history of Alexander Field.
The Fort Wayne Tin Caps are the High-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres in the Midwest League.
JACKSON SMELTZ'S 2022 HONORS & ACHIEVEMENTS
• MLB Draft Pick
• Purdue Graduate
• Academic All-America
• All-Big Ten Starting Pitcher
• Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week (April 11)
• Big Ten Pitcher of the Week (April 11)
• Purdue Athletics' Male Recipient of the Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Team Record for Strikeouts per Nine Innings (12.40)
Smeltz had his named called with the 14th pick of the 10th round, the final round of sections on day 2 of the draft. He was the 300th pick overall, making the Lafayette native a top-10 round and top-300 overall selection. He's the first Boilermaker to be selected in the MLB Draft since Patrick J. Smith (33rd Round) in 2019 and the Boilermakers' highest pick since Tanner Andrews and Nick Dalesandro both also went in the 10th round in 2018.
With 79 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings this spring, Smeltz (12.40) eclipsed a minimum 30-inning strikeouts per nine innings team record that had stood since 1965. He was on pace to eclipse Purdue's single-season record (95) for punchouts as well before an injury sidelined him for the final month of the season. He was throwing bullpens again this summer and the Padres made him Purdue's highest-selected lefty ever. That distinction was previously held by Andy Loomis (16th Round in 2008).
Smeltz has been training under the tutelage of fellow McCutcheon High School graduate and former big league pitcher Clayton Richard, who was the featured speaker at Purdue's First Pitch Dinner in February to celebrate the forthcoming 2022 campaign. Richard had two extended stints with the Padres – first from 2009 to 2013 and again from 2016 to 2018 – spending at least portions of eight of his 11 big league seasons in San Diego. Eric Charles (29th Round in 2012) was the last Boilermaker drafted by the Padres.
Smeltz was Academic All-America and an All-Big Ten starting pitcher. He graduated in May with a higher cumulative GPA (3.70) than career ERA (3.08). After overcoming multiple injuries and other ailments dating back to his early teenage years, he finally put it all together this spring – compiling a 2.83 ERA, .198 batting average against and 1.08 WHIP in his 10 appearances.
Smeltz was honored as a Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week and the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week after a memorable 13-strikeout, one-hit shutout of rival Indiana at Alexander Field on April 9. He matched Dave Gassner, the Boilermakers' last lefthanded pitcher to make the big leagues, for the most strikeouts ever by a Purdue lefty. By game score (90), it was the finest performance ever in the 10-year history of Alexander Field.
The Fort Wayne Tin Caps are the High-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres in the Midwest League.
JACKSON SMELTZ'S 2022 HONORS & ACHIEVEMENTS
• MLB Draft Pick
• Purdue Graduate
• Academic All-America
• All-Big Ten Starting Pitcher
• Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week (April 11)
• Big Ten Pitcher of the Week (April 11)
• Purdue Athletics' Male Recipient of the Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Team Record for Strikeouts per Nine Innings (12.40)