MLB Draft 2019: Washington Nationals select Tyler Dyson with 153rd overall pick in 5th Round

Even though Washington Nationals’ Assistant GM and VP of Scouting Ops Kris Kline told MASN’s Dan Kolko over the weekend that he thought this year’s draft class was position-player heavy, with a few impressive pitchers up top, the Nats selected pitchers with two picks in their first three.

Last night it was right-hander Jackson Rutledge, and with their first two picks this afternoon in Rounds 3-4, they selected a third baseman, Drew Mendoza, and a reliever, Matt Cronin.

With their 5th Round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, No. 153 overall, the Nationals selected right-handed pitcher Tyler Dyson out of the University of Florida.

Dyson, a 21-year-old, 6’3’’ righty put up a 4.95 ERA in 11 games (nine starts) and 42 ²⁄₃ IP for the Gators in 2019, with 34 Ks, and 23 walks on the season.

“This was a guy who a year ago at this time, or even over the winter, we had pretty high up as a guy who could be the next in the lineup of A.J. Puk, Alex Faedo, Brady Singer, and Jackson Kowar,” MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo said in offering a scouting report on Dyson after the selection.

“He just had a combination of inconsistent performance and then an injury that shut him down for a little while. He lost his spot in the rotation and then wasn’t used that much, but if they can get him sort of straightened out, he’s shown flashes of a fastball up to 97, he’s shown flashes of a plus slider, there’s even a little feel for a changeup even though he doesn’t use it really that often. He doesn’t drive through the ball enough, I think if they can fix his delivery, he’s probably a reliever profile, but it’s a really good arm that just kind of lost his way this year.”