Hanhold's college experience boosts Draft stock
University of Florida right-hander selected by Brewers in 6th round
MILWAUKEE -- Eric Hanhold graduated from "Mr. Irrelevant" in 2012 all the way to the sixth round of the 2015 Draft.
Hanhold's three seasons at the University of Florida boosted his Draft stock -- just as he'd hoped three years ago when he spoke to MLB.com after the Phillies made him the 1,238th and final pick in the '12 Draft. On Tuesday, Hanhold's name was called again, this time by the Brewers in the sixth round at No. 181 overall.
Hanhold was 1-0 with a 4.26 ERA as a junior swingman for the Gators in 2015, making four starts and 10 relief appearances. Before that, he was 1-2 with a 3.42 ERA in six games (four starts) for the Orleans Firebirds in the Cape Cod League.
He became the fourth pitcher drafted by the Brewers among the team's first seven selections in the three-day Draft, which concludes on Wednesday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 on MLB.com beginning at 11 a.m. CT.
In 2012, Hanhold was on his way home from his high school graduation ceremony at Tropicana Field when he learned he'd been drafted by the Phillies. Some publications refer to the final pick in a Draft as "Mr. Irrelevant," but MLB.com has its "Don't Count Him Out" player, and that's exactly what Hanhold told reporter Spencer Fordin.
"I just feel like I want the college experience, and I think I have that in Florida and I can have a chance to grow as a player," he said then.
He was listed as 6-foot-4, 175 pounds at the time. Now, MLB's database has him at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds.
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Round 7: 3B George Iskenderian, Miami
Ten years after the Brewers made Miami shortstop Ryan Braun their first-round pick and converted him to third base, the team went back to Miami for an infielder. The Cardinals made him a 34th-round pick last year, but Iskenderian enrolled at Miami (he's previously played at South Carolina and Indian River Community College) and hit .379 with a .471 on-base percentage, 50 RBIs, 63 runs scored and 23 stolen bases in 58 games.
"It's more an offensive profile, and he's a utility defender," Brewers scouting director Ray Montgomery said. "He was a nice blend of [traditional scouting and] the analytics, that part of what we're doing. The talent, obviously, speaks for itself."
Round 8: RHP Nate Griep, Kansas State
The redshirt sophomore earned second-team all-Big 12 honors after going 6-3 with a 2.63 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 78 2/3 innings this season. His .218 batting average against was the lowest for a Wildcats pitcher with at least 10 starts since 2000.
Round 9: RHP Karsen Lindell, West Linn (Ore.) HS
A University of Washington commit, Lindell worked hard for West Linn during Oregon's Class 6A state playoffs, which concluded last week. Lindell threw 21 innings in five games over 13 days, according to the Oregonian newspaper, including 111 pitches in a 2-1 loss in the state championship game.
"He has a good relationship with our scout up in the Northwest, Shawn Whalen, who signed Clint Coulter a few rounds back as a first-round pick," Montgomery said. "With that kind of comfort, I think that's a nice 'get' for us there. I'm looking forward to Karsen coming out here and getting his career started."
Round 10: LHP Jake Drossner, Maryland
The 6-foot-3 Drossner was a 23rd-round Draft pick of the Cubs in 2012 but opted to go to college. He was excellent last season (team-best 2.59 ERA) but not as sharp in 2015, with 26 walks versus 27 strikeouts in 32 innings and a 4.50 ERA.