Checking in on the 2017 Draft Class: Picks 17-19

To continue an offseason series, we will peek at picks 17-19 today. Last time, we checked in on 13-16.

Keep in mind: the Cardinals did not draft in the first two rounds of the 2017 MLB Draft. So, pick number 17 actually came in the 19th round.

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The first of three players we’ll check out is infielder Irving Lopez. The 22-year-old out of Florida International appeared in 50 games with the Johnson City Cardinals in 2017, driving in 27 runs and scoring 37 times. Across 212 plate appearances, Lopez slashed .287/.378/.433 with a 122 wRC+.

Cardinals 2017 Draft results

Outfielder Brandon Benson was St. Louis’ 18th pick of the draft, taken in the 20th round. In 51 games with the State College Spikes, Benson maintained a .339 wOBA with 30 runs batted in and 29 scored. The Georgia College alumni hit four home runs and had nine doubles, batting .256.

St. Louis selected left-handed pitcher Jake Dahlberg in the 21st round of the draft. Dahlberg, 23, was drafted out of the University of Illinois-Chicago and pitched in 19 games for the Johnson City Cardinals this summer. Going 2-0 out of the bullpen, Dahlberg logged 33 ²⁄₃ innings with a 4.31 xFIP and 32 punchouts.

The video is credited to the official Minor League Baseball YouTube channel.