SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame baseball team saw four student-athletes drafted on the second day of the Major League Baseball Draft Monday afternoon. It marks the second-straight season that Notre Dame has had a pair of players taken in the MLB Draft, and the 37th-consecutive season the Irish have had at least one player selected.
Infielder Jack Brannigan was selected in the third round by the Pittsburgh Pirates, right-handed pitcher Liam Simon was picked by the San Francisco Giants in the fifth round, right-handed pitcher Alex Rao was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighth round and John Michael Bertrand ended the day as the final pick of the 10th round by the Giants. Brannigan’s third round selection is the highest pick for a Notre Dame player since Eric Jagielo was taken in the first round in 2013.
Brannigan, a junior two-way player, was a third team All-American by Perfect Game for his performance this season. This past year, he played and started 56 games, appeared in 11 games on the hill with one start. The Orland Park, Illinois-native slashed .291/.360/.540 as he led the Irish in doubles (15) and was second on the team in homers (12). He was integral in the team’s trip to Omaha for the College World Series, hitting the go-ahead homer in a 7-3 Super Regional-clinching victory over top ranked Tennessee in Knoxville. Brannigan also swiped 10 bases, and earned a .974 fielding percentage manning third base.
Congrats to our guy @JBrannigan06 as he’s been drafted in the third round by the @Pirates! #GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/H1CDBw4ZP7
— Notre Dame Baseball (@NDBaseball) July 18, 2022
Simon worked in 16 games this season, making seven starts on the hill. He threw 30.2 innings, striking out 56 hitters as opponents hit just .188 against him. He tallied multiple strikeouts in 13 of his 16 appearances, and his total of 56 strikeouts was good for the fourth-most among the Irish pitching staff, trailing the All-American, Bertrand, weekend starter Austin Temple and Rao.
In the fifth round, the @SFGiants select our @LiamSimon_! #GoIrish☘️ #SFGameUp pic.twitter.com/grzWZaBsqD
— Notre Dame Baseball (@NDBaseball) July 18, 2022
Rao worked in 25 games this season, the second-most appearances by any pitcher this season. The senior threw 47.0 innings, striking out 57 hitters. The Florida-native picked up three saves, and earned a 3-1 record. He held opponents to a .188 average against. He threw multiple innings in 17 of his appearances, striking out multiple hitters in 14 appearances. Rao earned the win in the series opening game at top-ranked Tennessee in the Knoxville Super Regional, and appeared in two games at the College World Series in Omaha.
Congratulations @alex__rao as he was selected by the @Phillies in the eighth round of the @MLBDraft! #GoIrish☘️ #RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/tOMIImchH2
— Notre Dame Baseball (@NDBaseball) July 18, 2022
Bertrand worked as the Irish ace during the 2022 campaign. He was named an All-American by all five major college baseball publications, including a pair of Second Team All-American selections. He was named the Statesboro Regional Most Outstanding Player as he helped pave the way on the Irish’s run to the College World Series and was a First Team All-ACC honoree. This season, he started 18 games for Notre Dame, leading the team in innings pitched (109.0), strikeouts (111) and wins (10). He earned a 2.81 ERA and limited opponents to a .234 average against.
Looks like Liam is going to have some company on his way to the Bay.
The final pick on day 2 of the @MLBDraft is our very own @JMBertrand32! Congratulations, John Michael!#GoIrish☘️ #SFGameUp pic.twitter.com/ln0N76Ue7M
— Notre Dame Baseball (@NDBaseball) July 18, 2022
Up Next
The final day of the MLB Draft with rounds 11-20 will continue tomorrow afternoon beginning at 2 p.m.