Alabama Pitcher Prielipp Still Expected to Go High in 2022 Draft

Alabama junior pitcher Connor Prielipp began drawing attention as a draft prospect after his successful first season with the Tide in 2020. MLB.com even considered him a potential No. 1 pick after that campaign as Bama's No.1 starter.

But, the need for Tommy-John surgery came for Prielipp in May 2021 and caused him to miss a majority of the 2021 season. He is also expected to miss all of the 2022 season as well.

Despite all that has come at Prielipp in his college career, MLB.com still has him listed as their No. 17 prospect prior to the 2022 season. BaseballAmerica also has him mocked to the Atlanta Braves at No. 20 in the first version of their 2022 mock draft.

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His freshman numbers at Alabama were outstanding as the No.1 starter in four games in 2020. He had zero earned runs given up and just five hits in 21 innings. He also tallied 35 strikeouts that season.

Prielipp pitched in three games in 2021 before his need for surgery caused him to miss the remainder of the season. In those games, he pitched seven innings and gave up three runs on eight hits with 12 strikeouts.

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Previous to starting his career at Alabama, Prielipp was Wisconsin's Gatorade Player of the Year in 2019 and was actually drafted out of Tomah High school to the Boston Red Sox in round 37 of the 2019 MLB Draft. He decided to remain committed to UA and take his chance with the draft after gaining pitching experience in the SEC.

Even though Prielipp won't be available in the Tide's rotation in 2022, he will still be a name to follow as more mock drafts come out throughout this season and college and high school prospects rise and fall.