
4th Pick: First basemen Ethan Long, Arizona State
For their 4th pick in the 2022 MLB draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates select first basemen, Ethan Long from Arizona State. Long stands at 6’2’ and weighs 220 pounds. He is your typical power hitting first basemen. Long bats and throws right-handed.
In his first year with Arizona State, Long played in 51 games. In 162 at bats, 55 of them were for hits in which 27 of them were extra base hits. He finished the year with 16 homeruns and 54 runs batted in. His slash line with Arizona State was .340/.417/.704 and had an OPS of 1.120 in his first year with the Sun Devils.
You want a bat flip?
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) May 17, 2021
THIS is a bat flip.
Arizona State freshman Ethan Long had the walk-off celebration to end all walk-off celebrations on Friday night.
🎥 @ASU_Baseballpic.twitter.com/httbtuzgbz
The Pittsburgh Pirates are lacking at the first base position in the farm system, so I believe Ethan Long can help fill that void. With only Mason Martin and Alexander Mojica as true first basemen, this would be a necessary “draft for need” situation.
He will have one more year in college to improve his bat skills and I think he could move up quickly in the Pirates system once drafted. If the Pirates want to compete in the near future, drafting college bats are the way to go and Ethan Long fits in that category.