DODGERS SELECT DALTON RUSHING WITH THE 40th OVERALL PICK

The Los Angeles Dodgers selected catcher Dalton Rushing from the University of Louisville with their first selection of the 2022 First Year Player Draft.

Rushing, 21, was selected with the 40th overall selection and he played in 64 games for the Louisville Cardinals last season.  In 64 games, he hit .310 with 16 doubles, 23 homers, 62 RBI and 68 runs scored. His 23 long balls were tied for fourth most in Louisville history and were the most by a Cardinal since the 2009 season. He ranked in the Top 10 in the Athletic Coast Conference in walks, hit by pitch, home runs, on-base percentage, runs and slugging percentage, and ranked top 15 in RBIs and total bases. Following the season, he received various honors, including Collegiate Baseball Newspaper All-America Second Team, ABCA All-America Third Team, Perfect Game All-America Third Team, All-ACC Second Team, All-ACC Baseball Academic Team.

“Dalton was one of our primary targets of our draft,” said Dodger Vice President, Amateur Scouting Billy Gasparino.

“We think he has outstanding talent. Catchers that hit with power that can control the zone and hit left-handed are rare commodities in the draft.”

He played three seasons for Louisville, slashing a combined .290/.442/.630 with 28 homers and 82 RBI in 102 career games. He posted a .990 fielding percentage, making six errors in his collegiate career. Prior to his time with the Louisville Cardinals, he was a four-year letterman at Brighton High School in Tennessee, and hit .491 with 10 doubles, six triples, 11 homers and 46 RBI his senior season.

The Dodgers next selection will be tomorrow afternoon as they will make the 105th overall selection when the 2022 MLB Draft continues with rounds 3-10 starting at 11:00 a.m. (PST). The final rounds (11-20) of the 2022 First Year Player Draft will continue Tuesday starting at 11:05 a.m. (PST).