Atlanta Braves: 2016 MLB Draft Round 2 selections
After selecting two pitchers in the first round, the Atlanta Braves selected another pitcher, Kyle Muller, with the 44th pick and catcher Brett Cumberland with the No. 76 overall selection in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
The Atlanta Braves selected two high school pitchers in Round 1, right-hander Ian Anderson and lefty Joey Wentz. However, the Braves weren’t done adding high school pitchers by Round 2.
The Braves began the second round of the 2016 MLB first-year player draft with another pick early on. Just four picks after the selection of Joey Wentz, the Braves drafted Dallas Jesuit pitcher Kyle Muller with the No. 44 overall selection.
VIA 247Sports
"Just days after being presented with the Gatorade National Player of the Year award, Dallas Jesuit standout and Texas baseball signee Kyle Muller was selected on the first night of the 2016 MLB First-Year Player Draft.Muller, a 6-foot-7, 245-pound outfielder and pitcher, was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the draft as the 44th overall pick. The Braves drafted Muller, a lefty, as a pitcher; one of three high school arms the franchise took with their first three picks.With a bonus pool of more than $12.3 million to spend on draft choices, the Braves entered the draft with the third largest amount of money any team has available. Muller’s slot, the third pick in the second round, comes with a value of $1.46 million.Will that be enough to entice Muller to bypass a career on the Forty Acres? It won’t take too long to play out as Muller has until July 15 to decide whether to sign with the Braves or head to Austin to play for the Longhorns."
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With the addition of Muller, the Braves then had three high school pitchers and one remaining pick for day one. The first day of the 2016 MLB Draft concluded with the Atlanta Braves fourth selection and No. 76 overall, catcher Brett Cumberland from UC-Berkeley.
VIA CBS Sports
"Cumberland, a draft-eligible sophomore, was a force in the middle of the order during his two seasons at California. The backstop delivered a .344/.480/.678 slash line over 180 at-bats in 2016 and led the Pac-12 with 16 homers, cementing himself as one of the top power hitters in the country. In addition to his considerable pop, the switch-hitting Cumberland is lauded for his advanced approach at the plate, which should enable him to hit for average as a professional.On the defensive end, Cumberland is regarded as a good receiver, but lacks agility and the big arm teams often covet behind the plate. As a result of those deficiencies, there’s some concern Cumberland might not be able to stick behind the plate, but his hitting skills are intriguing enough to make him a decent dynasty league commodity even if he’s forced to first base or the corner outfield."
Next: Atlanta Braves: First round 2016 MLB Draft picks
Day 2 of the MLB Draft takes place Friday, June 10 at 1 PM EST. Next, the Atlanta Braves, in Rounds 3 through 40, have the third pick in each round, beginning with the No. 80 overall selection.