Xavier University Athletics
Jack Lynch, Luke Franzoni Selected in MLB First Year Players Draft
07.19.22 | Baseball
Lynch goes to Cardinals in the 18th round, Franzoni picked up by Angels in 19th round
CINCINNATI – Xavier baseball had a pair selected on day three of the the 2022 MLB First-Year Player Draft, with junior Jack Lynch going to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 18th round, and senior Luke Franzoni selected in the 19th round by the Los Angeles Angels.
The two selections now mark 20 total Musketeers selected in the MLB Draft since 2005. At least one Xavier player has been selected in seven of the last nine years, and this marks the fourth time in that period that multiple Musketeers were picked.
Lynch, a left-handed pitcher originally from Dallas, Texas, finished his junior season as an All-BIG EAST First Team selection and an ABCA/Rawlings All-East Region honoree. Through 64.1 innings of work, in a team-high 28 appearances, Lynch had an ERA of 2.80 with an opponents' batting average of .204, both marks ranking the best among Xavier's pitchers who went 10.0 or more innings in 2022.
Lynch led the BIG EAST in the regular season with nine wins, earning a 9-0 record headed into the BIG EAST Tournament, with five of those coming against conference opponents. In conference play, Lynch's 2.30 ERA in 31.1 innings of work through 11 appearances ranked third in the league. Lynch's 28 appearances and nine wins both rank in the top 10 in the Xavier single season records.
Lynch's 77 strikeouts on the season led Xavier and ranked in the top five in the BIG EAST, helping the Musketeers' pitching staff break the program record for total strikeouts in a season (482).
In three seasons at Xavier, Lynch has a 3.60 ERA through 45 appearances, including a career-best ERA of 1.69 in 2020. In 90 innings of work, he collected 101 strikeouts while allowing just 40 walks and limited opposing batters to a .202 average at the plate.
Franzoni, originally from Robbinsville, N.J., played first base for the Musketeers, wrapping up a record-breaking senior season with a team-best .358 batting average, collecting 76 hits, including 41 for extra bases to lead the BIG EAST with a .825 slugging percentage.
Among those extra base hits were 29 home runs, a single-season school record for Xavier and a mark that is tied for the most in NCAA DI at the conclusion of conference tournaments. Franzoni also set a new school record for runs batted in in a single season at 78, as well as tying the single game marks for home runs (3) and RBI (11).
For his Xavier career, Franzoni has 157 appearances, with 146 starts, with a .299 average, collecting 156 hits overall, with a school-record 52 home runs for his career. In four seasons, Franzoni drove in 153 RBI and came around to score 117 runs.
In 2022, Franzoni was named BIG EAST Co-Player of the Year and to the conference First Team following a regular season in which he led the conference in home runs, walks and RBI, helping Xavier earn the No. 3 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament and advance to the Championship series.
Following Xavier's runners-up finish at the BIG EAST Championship, Franzoni earned the Jack Kaiser Most Outstanding Player trophy for his record-setting performance, setting new BIG EAST Championship records with five home runs in four games, a pair of grand slams, 16 RBI and seven runs.
Franzoni was named to the 2022 ABCA/Rawlings All-America Third Team after picking up First Team All-East Region honors from the ABCA. He also earned Second Team All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball.
The two selections now mark 20 total Musketeers selected in the MLB Draft since 2005. At least one Xavier player has been selected in seven of the last nine years, and this marks the fourth time in that period that multiple Musketeers were picked.
Lynch, a left-handed pitcher originally from Dallas, Texas, finished his junior season as an All-BIG EAST First Team selection and an ABCA/Rawlings All-East Region honoree. Through 64.1 innings of work, in a team-high 28 appearances, Lynch had an ERA of 2.80 with an opponents' batting average of .204, both marks ranking the best among Xavier's pitchers who went 10.0 or more innings in 2022.
Lynch led the BIG EAST in the regular season with nine wins, earning a 9-0 record headed into the BIG EAST Tournament, with five of those coming against conference opponents. In conference play, Lynch's 2.30 ERA in 31.1 innings of work through 11 appearances ranked third in the league. Lynch's 28 appearances and nine wins both rank in the top 10 in the Xavier single season records.
Lynch's 77 strikeouts on the season led Xavier and ranked in the top five in the BIG EAST, helping the Musketeers' pitching staff break the program record for total strikeouts in a season (482).
In three seasons at Xavier, Lynch has a 3.60 ERA through 45 appearances, including a career-best ERA of 1.69 in 2020. In 90 innings of work, he collected 101 strikeouts while allowing just 40 walks and limited opposing batters to a .202 average at the plate.
Franzoni, originally from Robbinsville, N.J., played first base for the Musketeers, wrapping up a record-breaking senior season with a team-best .358 batting average, collecting 76 hits, including 41 for extra bases to lead the BIG EAST with a .825 slugging percentage.
Among those extra base hits were 29 home runs, a single-season school record for Xavier and a mark that is tied for the most in NCAA DI at the conclusion of conference tournaments. Franzoni also set a new school record for runs batted in in a single season at 78, as well as tying the single game marks for home runs (3) and RBI (11).
For his Xavier career, Franzoni has 157 appearances, with 146 starts, with a .299 average, collecting 156 hits overall, with a school-record 52 home runs for his career. In four seasons, Franzoni drove in 153 RBI and came around to score 117 runs.
In 2022, Franzoni was named BIG EAST Co-Player of the Year and to the conference First Team following a regular season in which he led the conference in home runs, walks and RBI, helping Xavier earn the No. 3 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament and advance to the Championship series.
Following Xavier's runners-up finish at the BIG EAST Championship, Franzoni earned the Jack Kaiser Most Outstanding Player trophy for his record-setting performance, setting new BIG EAST Championship records with five home runs in four games, a pair of grand slams, 16 RBI and seven runs.
Franzoni was named to the 2022 ABCA/Rawlings All-America Third Team after picking up First Team All-East Region honors from the ABCA. He also earned Second Team All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball.
Players Mentioned
OF
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LHP
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