While Dodgers’ Max Muncy had a memorable day, so did another Max Muncy
What a great day Sunday was for a ballplayer named Max Muncy born Aug. 25 and drafted by the Oakland Athletics.
Muncy hit a walk-off three-run home run to lift the Dodgers to a series win over the Arizona Diamondbacks heading into the All-Star break.
But wait.
Muncy also was the No. 25 overall pick in the Major League draft a month after leading Thousand Oaks High to a Southern Section championship and being named The Times’ player of the year.
The two Max Muncys share a birthday — the Dodgers infielder in 1990 and the high school infielder in 2002. And now both have been drafted by the A’s — the Dodgers All-Star signed with Oakland in 2012 after being taken in the fifth round out of Baylor.
It’s a freakishly amusing coincidence. Or is it an amusingly freakish coincidence?
The younger Muncy is expected to sign despite having committed to Arkansas. The slot bonus for the No. 25 pick is $2.74 million, and Muncy indicated to scouts ahead of the draft that he is signable.
“[The A’s] seem like a high-energy team, seem like they have a good time when they play, so I think I’ll fit into that aspect of their game,†Muncy said on a Zoom call with reporters.
Muncy was the highest pick of Southland high school players, but he wasn’t the highest overall, or even the highest shortstop picked. That distinction went to Matt McLain of UCLA, chosen No. 17 by the Cincinnati Reds.
McLain made a decision three years ago Muncy is expected to spurn. He was a first-round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks out of Irvine Beckman High — like Muncy No. 25 overall — but turned down a $2.6-million signing bonus to attend UCLA.
No regrets. The slot value for the No. 17 pick is $3,609,700, meaning McLain earned about $1 million attending UCLA for three years.
“I’ve for sure become a better person and a better player on the field,†McLain told reporters. “I think I’ve for sure progressed in every area that I possibly could.â€
McLain missed about three weeks with a broken thumb yet batted .333 with nine homers, 14 doubles, 36 RBIs and 47 runs in 47 games. He and Muncy were two of 10 shortstops drafted in the first round.
“I like to hit. I like to play defense. I like to run. I think I can do everything on the field,†he said. “Not in a cocky way, but I just love baseball and I love playing the game every single day, going out there and giving it my all.â€
The only other Southland player drafted Sunday was UC Santa Barbara pitcher Michael McGreevy, a converted shortstop taken No. 18 overall by the St. Louis Cardinals. The 6-foot-4 McGreevy, a product of San Clemente High, posted a 2.33 ERA with 194 strikeouts and 31 walks in 189 innings over three seasons with UCSB.
The MLB draft will continue Monday with rounds two through 10. Rounds 11-20 will take place Tuesday.
These Southland players are projected by Baseball America to be drafted Monday:
RANK NAME SCHOOL POSITION COMMENT
45 Thatcher Hurd, Mira Costa HS, RHP: Hard thrower will command a big bonus to forgo his UCLA scholarship.
58 Gage Jump, JSerra HS, LHP: Gets a ton of swings and misses with a fastball that began touching 95-96 mph for the first time this spring.
The Angels used their highest MLB draft selection in years to pick right-handed pitcher Sam Bachman out of Miami University in Ohio.
90 Ricky Tiedemann, Golden West CC, LHP: Lakewood HS product could be dominant once he addresses command issues.
122 Eric Silva, JSerra HS, RHP: Silva, whose fastball touched 97 mph this season, and teammate Jump are UCLA commits who will be expensive to sign.
159 Larson Kindreich, Biola University, LHP: Kindreich’s pure stuff is elite, but his 3.83 ERA against Division II competition could depress his stock.
177 Roc Riggio, Thousand Oaks HS, 2B: The Oklahoma State commit is a complete hitter with power and speed, but he hasn’t mastered a position yet.
195 Kevin Kendall, UCLA, OF: The La Mirada HS product’s stock rose considerably after he batting .355 as the UCLA leadoff hitter in 2021.
218 Caiden Huber, Yucaipa HS, 3B: The USC commit is a plus hitter from the left side with tremendous upside.
298 Ben Ramirez, USC, 3B: Ramirez started four years for the Trojans at several positions. He drove in 54 runs this season.
Los Angeles Times assistant sports editor Steve Henson shares inside info from his side hustle as an umpire at high school baseball games.
First-round picks in the MLB draft
1. Pittsburgh Pirates, Henry Davis, C, Louisville; 2. Texas Rangers, Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt; 3. Detroit Tigers, Jackson Jobe, RHP, Heritage Hall School, Oklahoma City; 4. Boston Red Sox, Marcelo Mayer, SS, Eastlake H.S., Chula Vista, Calif.; 5. Baltimore Orioles, Colton Cowser, OF, Sam Houston St.; 6. Arizona Diamondbacks, Jordan Lawiar, SS, Jesuit College Prep, Dallas; 7. Kansas City Royals, Frank Mozzicato, LHP, East Catholic H.S., Manchester, Conn.; 8. Colorado Rockies, Benny Montgomery, OF, Red Land H.S., Lewisberry, Pa.; 9. ANGELS, Sam Bachman, RHP, Miami (Ohio); 10. New York Mets, Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt.
11. Washington Nationals, Brady House, SS, Winder-Barrow H.S., Winder, Ga.; 12. Seattle Mariners, Harry Ford, North Cobb H.S., Kennesaw, Ga.; 13. Philadelphia Phillies, Andrew Painter, RHP, Calvary Christian Academy, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; 14. San Francisco Giants, Will Bednar, RHP, Mississippi St.; 15. Milwaukee Brewers, Sal Frelick, OF, Boston College; 16. Miami Marlins, Kahlil Watson, SS, Wake Forest H.S., Wake Forest, N.C; 17. Cincinnati Reds, Matt McLain, SS, UCLA; 18. St. Louis Cardinals, Michael McGreevy, RHP, UC Santa Barbara.; 19. Toronto Blue Jays, Gunnar Hoglund, RHP, Mississippi; 20. New York Yankees, Trey Sweeney, SS, E. Illinois.
21. Chicago Cubs, Jordan Wicks, LHP, Kansas St.; 22. Chicago White Sox, Colson Montgomery, SS, Southridge H.S., Huntingburg, Ind.; 23. Cleveland Indians, Gavin Williams, RHP, East Carolina; 24. Atlanta Braves, Ryan Cusick, RHP, Wake Forest; 25. Oakland Athletics, Max Muncy, SS, Thousand Oaks H.S., Thousand Oaks, Calif.; 26. Minnesota Twins, Chase Petty, RHP, Mainland Regional H.S., Linwood, N.J.; 27. San Diego Padres, Jackson Merrill, SS, Severna Park H.S., Severna Park, Md.; 28. Tampa Bay Rays, Carson Williams, SS, Torrey Pines H.S., San Diego; 29. DODGERS, Maddux Bruns, LHP, UMS Wright H.S., Mobile, Ala.; 30. (compensatory pick) Cincinnati Reds, Jay Allen, OF, John Carroll H.S., Fort Pierce, Fla.
Competitive Balance-Round A
31. Miami Marlins, Joe Mack, C, Williamsville East H.S., East Amherst, N.Y.; 32. Detroit Tigers, Ty Madden, RHP, Texas; 33. Milwaukee Brewers, Tyler Black, 2B, Wright St.; 34. Tampa Bay Rays, Cooper Kinney, 2B, The Baylor Schools, Chattanooga, Tenn.; 35. Cincinnati Reds, Matheu Nelson, C, Florida St.; 36. Minnesota Twins, Noah Miller, SS, Ozaukee H.S., Fredonia, Wis.=
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