The Los Angeles Dodgers made a stunning selection with their final pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. The Dodgers took former Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei with the No. 610 overall selection in the 20th round. DJ Uiagalelei transferred from Clemson to Oregon State and intends to play college football in the 2023 season. He is listed as a two-way player for the Dodgers.
The Dodgers' draft pick is certainly a curious one, given Uiagalelei's athletic career in college. The 22-year-old quarterback hasn't played baseball since high school. There hasn't been any buzz that Uiagalelei might have a future as an MLB player.
Uiagalelei played baseball for St. John Bosco high school in California. The newest member of the Dodgers organization had a fastball with a velocity ranging from 88 to 91 miles per hour, according to Prep Baseball Report. Uiagalelei also threw a curveball between 72 and 75 mph.
Uiagalelei's college football career hasn't exactly gone as planned. The successor to Trevor Lawrence never met expectations with Clemson. He struggled mightily in his first year as a starter, throwing more interceptions than touchdown passes.
Perhaps Uiagalelei will look toward baseball after a season at Oregon State.
It was only a few years ago that a star college football quarterback was picked in the MLB Draft and nearly played professional baseball. The Oakland Athletics selected Kyler Murray with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 draft. After Murray won the Heisman Trophy with Oklahoma, he was the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and chose to play for the Arizona Cardinals.
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