SEATTLE – Observing their names come off the board during Monday's second day of the 2023 MLB Draft, Virginia Tech junior outfielder Jack Hurley and junior pitcher Christian Worley earned selection during the third and ninth rounds, respectively, affirming another robust draft class by the baseball program.
Considered one of the draft's best steals, Hurley – the No. 36 prospect according to mlb.com – was chosen at No. 80 overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks, who selected a player from the Hokies for the first time during their franchise history. The 2022 All-American ranks as the third highest outfielder to have been drafted from Virginia Tech all-time, trailing his former teammate, Gavin Cross (No. 9 overall, 2022), as well as Milwaukee call-up Kevin Barker (No. 73 overall, 1996).
Worley was selected at No. 275 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals, who during recent years have gone to the Blacksburg well to draft Tech pitchers in 2018 (Connor Coward) and 2021 (Chris Gerard). The Hokies' right-hand reliever was the fifth pitcher to have been taken this year by St. Louis and the fourth in a row between the sixth and ninth rounds.
Together with right-hand pitcher Drue Hackenberg – who was chosen at No. 59 overall during Sunday's second round – Virginia Tech has now produced three or more draft picks annually since 2019 with the exception of the shortened 2020 MLB Draft. The Hokies' streak of generating multiple draft picks has also been extended to 16 consecutive seasons dating back to 2008.
Under the leadership of head coach John Szefc, Tech has observed 11 of its 19 prospects earn selection within the draft's opening 10 rounds, including eight picks who have placed inside the top five rounds. Considering Hackenberg and Hurley, the Hokies have now celebrated five top-100 selections under Szefc, accounting for more than a third of the program's all-time honor roll (by name).
A two-time All-ACC First Team and two-time ABCA/Rawlings Atlantic All-Region outfielder, Hurley batted .321, slugged .603 and recorded a 1.014 OPS during his 154 career collegiate appearances while mashing 48 doubles, three triples and 37 home runs. As a sophomore in 2022, he ranked fifth among ACC hitters in batting average (.375), having opened the season with a 26-game hitting streak – the longest by a Tech player during the program's ACC era.
Coming off a tour with the 2022 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, Hurley returned to the Hokies in 2023 to swing 17 home runs and lead the ACC in conference-only slugging percentage (.743). Through his three seasons in Blacksburg, he scored 145 runs and totaled 129 RBIs, sporting a .411 career on-base percentage.
Worley showed rising potential during his Virginia Tech career, despite being limited by opportunity and injury to 36 and two-thirds career innings across three seasons. During the 2022 campaign, he made eight of his 14 appearances after April 27, beginning the aforementioned stretch with 14 and one-third consecutive scoreless innings.
This spring, Worley had been 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA and 15 strikeouts (two walks) during his first five appearances that spanned 10 innings of relief. However, he missed the remainder of the 2023 season due to injury following his March 17 outing at Miami.
Virginia Tech will look to add to its 2023 MLB Draft class on Tuesday, July 11, when the final 10 rounds are held. Digital coverage of rounds 11 through 20 will be available courtesy of mlb.com beginning at 2 p.m. ET.
