Texas Tech's Jace Jung selected with 12th pick in first round by the Detroit Tigers

Jace Jung knows the next step in his baseball career.

The Texas Tech junior infielder was selected with the 12th overall pick in the first round by the Detroit Tigers as part of the First-Year MLB Draft on Sunday. The slot value is $4,587,900, per MLB.com.

Jung is the first Red Raider to be selected in the 2022 draft while also holding another unique distinction ― being picked in the first round like his older brother Josh was when the Texas Rangers chose him with the eighth overall pick in 2019. The Jung brothers make up two of the total four first-round picks in Texas Tech program history.

The left-handed hitter from San Antonio MacArthur hit at a .335 clip to go along with 14 home runs and 57 runs batted during the 2022 season. He started all 61 games and tallied 59 walks, which tied for fifth in NCAA Division I. Within the Big 12, he also ranked among the top five in on-base percentage (.481), on-base-plus slugging (1.093) and runs (68).

MLB.com provided him a 60 grade — well above average on the 20-80 scouting scale — for hit tool, power and overall grade. Speed, arm and defensive range are his drawbacks in scouts' eyes.

Last season, nine Texas Tech baseball players were selected by MLB teams ― highlighted by Cal Conley (25th, Atlanta Braves) and Dru Baker (29th, Tampa Bay Rays), who were both selected in the fourth round.

Of the group, Brandon Birdsell elected to play return and play for the Red Raiders in an effort to improve his draft stock.

Last year, Birdsell dropped due to health concerns after missing the last two months of the season with a strained rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder. The right-handed hurler turned down an 11th-round opportunity from the Minnesota Twins. He bet on himself with the decision and bounced back strong for Tech this season, earning recognition as Big 12 pitcher of the year and second- and third-team All-America by separate outlets. Throwing his fastball at 94 to 97 miles per hour, he struck out 106 in 85 innings and limited his walks to 29.

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Along with Birdsell, the Red Raiders could lose their top three starting pitchers ― Andrew Morris (8-2, 4.58) and Chase Hampton (5-4, 4.29) ― on a team that finished 39-22 and advanced to the championship of the NCAA Statesboro Regional.

Back in 2019, Josh Jung ― the older brother of Jace ― was selected with the eighth overall pick by the Texas Rangers. Josh Jung marked the second-highest a Red Raider has been picked in the draft since center fielder Donald Harris was taken with the fifth pick, coincidentally, by the Rangers back in 1989. He was chosen two spots ahead of Frank Thomas — who went on to become a first-ballot Hall of Famer following a solid hitting career spent mostly with the Chicago White Sox.

Tech has had 57 players drafted in Tadlock's 10 years as head coach, including nine last year, 11 after the 2018 season and 10 in 2016.

Round three through 10 will commence Monday, and rounds 11 through 20 will take place Tuesday.

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Who are draft-eligible Red Raiders?

Seniors: Colin Clark, LHP, Kurt Wilson, INF/OF/RHP, Cooper Swanson, INF, Cody Masters, OF/DH

Juniors: Garrett Crowley, LHP, Andrew Morris, RHP, Cole Stilwell, C/1B, Bo Blessie, RHP, Brandon Birdsell, RHP

Sophomores: Jace Jung, INF, Dillon Carter, OF, Chase Hampton, RHP, Austin Becker, RHP

* - Classifications are set for players entering the 2021-2022 campaign. List taken from MLB.com.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech's Jace Jung selected with 12th pick in first round by the Detroit Tigers