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Philadelphia Phillies earn steal by selecting UNLV’s Bryson Stott in 2019 MLB Draft

By Dan Parzych

TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 26: Managert Gabe Kapler #22 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on prior to the Grapefruit League spring training game against the New York Yankees at Steinbrenner Field on February 26, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 26: Managert Gabe Kapler #22 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on prior to the Grapefruit League spring training game against the New York Yankees at Steinbrenner Field on February 26, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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The Philadelphia Phillies used the No. 14 pick in the 2019 MLB Draft to select shortstop Bryson Stott from UNLV.

As the Philadelphia Phillies continue to make a strong case for being the team to beat in the NL East, there was also plenty of excitement heading into the first round of Monday’s 2019 MLB Draft with Gabe Kapler‘s team selecting at No. 14.

History shows just how difficult it can be to predict what to expect from players selected in the draft since it can be years before they even receive the opportunity to play in the majors, but early indications point to Phillies fans showing excitement over Bryson Stott.

At No. 14, Philadelphia decided to use their first-round pick on the UNLV star shortstop, who ended up being the first college player selected at his position in the draft.

Based off the last three seasons as a member of the Rebels, Stott has proven to be the kind of player who seems to get better with experience, and it’s easy to see why the Phillies believe they earned a steal with the shortstop still being available at No. 14 in the first round.

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From his impressive batting average (.356) to the praise received for defensive skills, Stott certainly seems like he’s going to bring a ton to the table for a team on the rise like Philadelphia, and he’ll certainly be fun to follow moving forward.

Just take a look at what the folks over at MLB.com had to say about the selection of Stott, and it makes even more sense as to why Phillies fans should view this to be an absolute steal from the draft.

"Here’s our first college shortstop — and get ready for about a half-dozen more to get selected in the bottom half of the first round. Stott has a chance to have a pretty solid all-around package for his position. He’s going to hit for more power than the average shortstop, and he’s also a solid runner and defender who should be able to stay at the position."

Like every other player from this year’s draft, Stott most likely still has a long way to go before Phillies fans will even have the opportunity to watch him play in the majors, but it’s difficult not to love this move.

After putting together a successful offseason that saw numerous key additions such as Bryce Harper and Jean Segura, Philadelphia certainly deserves credit for getting off to a hot start in this year’s draft with Stott.

Now, here’s to hoping the Phillies can continue to carry this trend over throughout the rest of the rounds since there is plenty of talent on top of Stott worth considering to keep this team in great shape for years to come.

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