Mariners take high-school 3B Joe Rizzo in second round
Jun 9, 2016, 8:33 PM | Updated: Jun 10, 2016, 12:42 pm
The Mariners selected left-handed hitting third baseman Joe Rizzo with their second-round pick (50th overall) in the 2016 MLB Draft.
Rizzo, 18, comes from Oakton High School in Oak Hill, Va. He is listed at 5 foot 9 and 194 pounds. Baseball America ranked him the 40th-best prospect entering the draft.
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“We felt like he was among the, if not the most advanced hitter in the high school ranks this year. Really good swing, knows how to hit and really knows how to execute an at-bat,” Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said.
In his senior season, Rizzo hit .392 with 14 runs, one double, four home runs and 12 RBIs. In 2015, he was named the Virginia 6A Player of the Year after hitting .606 with 25 runs, nine doubles, seven home runs and 25 RBIs in 22 games.
Like Dipoto, Mariners director of amateur scouting Tom McNamara praised Rizzo’s hitting ability.
“Tough kid. Great kid. Baseball kid. We like his bat a lot,” McNamara said. “It’s a short, compact stroke. He’s got a good approach.”
