Newell, Wyatt Chosen on MLB Draft’s Final Day

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Outfielder Chris Newell and right-handed pitcher Matt Wyatt were selected on the final day of the 2022 MLB Draft. Newell was taken in the 13^th round (405^th overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers while Wyatt was picked in the 20^th round (614^th overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays.

2022 UVA MLB Draft Summary
LHP Nate Savino: 3^rd Round (82^nd overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks
LHP Brandon Neeck: 9^th Round (285^th overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers
OF Chris Newell: 13^th Round (405^th overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers
RHP Matt Wyatt: 20^th Round (614^th overall by the Tampa Bay Rays

UVA Draft Facts

• Of the 143 MLB Draft picks in UVA history, 94 have come in head coach Brian O’Connor’s 19-year tenure (66 percent).
• It marked the 15^th time that four or more Virginia players have been drafted, 14 have come under O’Connor’s direction.
• Virginia has had a player taken in the first five rounds in 17 of the last 19 seasons (2009 & 2020 are only exceptions)
• Prior to this draft, the Los Angeles Dodgers have picked only one other Cavalier – Josh Sborz (2015).

Newell started all but four games for the Cavaliers in 2022 and appeared in 130 games over his three-year collegiate career. The left-handed swinging outfielder blasted a career-high 12 home runs as a junior and drove in 32 runs. His 16 stolen bases were tied for the ninth-most in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Newell scored 51 runs and went 49-for-190 at the plate (.258).

He hit four NCAA Tournament home runs including two in the 2021 College World Series. Newell is UVA’s all-time NCAA postseason leader with five career stolen bases, all came in the Cavaliers’ 2021 run to Omaha.

Newell had his sparkling freshman season cut short by the CoVID-19 pandemic. In 18 games he batted .407 with five doubles, four home runs and 20 RBI. He earned Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s co-National Freshman of the Year and was listed as the ACC’s best freshman by D1Baseball.com.

Wyatt was limited to 15 games in his junior campaign and primarily saw action out of the Cavalier bullpen. He closed the UVA’s opening day win over Bellarmine with an eight-pitch save. He did not allow a run over his first five appearances of the season, a total of 6.2 innings.

The righthander was pivotal in UVA’s 2021 College World Series run, earning the win in an NCAA Regional elimination game against South Carolina where he tossed five shutout innings of relief. He struck out eight batters in 5.2 innings in the deciding game of the Super Regionals against Dallas Baptist. Wyatt’s first career save came in Omaha where he pitched the final three innings in a 6-0 win over Tennessee. His postseason success helped him earn a spot on the U.S. Collegiate National team in the summer of 2021.

Wyatt appeared in 42 games, including six starts, for UVA in three seasons and fanned 79 batters in 76.2 innings pitched.