Gunnar Hoglund drafted 19th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in MLB Draft

Published 8:41 pm Sunday, July 11, 2021

After choosing to come to Oxford in 2018 instead of the majors, Gunnar Hoglund does not have as difficult a choice to make three years later.

The Ole Miss pitcher was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays as the 19th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft on Sunday. The pick comes with a slot value of $3.36 million.

Hoglund was heading towards becoming a top-10 pick and one of the top arms in this year’s draft before suffering a UCL tear in early May, ending his season. Mock draft boards and draft pundits had Hoglund as high as the No. 8 pick in some cases, but Hoglund managed to still secure a top-20 selection.

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With Hoglund being selected on Sunday, it marks the seventh Rebel to be drafted in the first round and 200th player drafted in program history. Hoglund was drafted out of high school by the Pittsburgh Pirates as the 36th overall pick in the 2018 draft, but chose to come to Ole Miss.

The junior right-hander’s final appearance in a Rebel uniform came on May 7 at Texas A&M, where he suffered the season-ending injury. Prior to the injury, Hoglund finished with 96 strikeouts and an earned run average of 2.86.

Jobe drafted by Tigers

While the Rebels are saying goodbye to one of their top arms, they also said goodbye to a potential replacement for Hoglund in the weekend rotation. Top pitching prospect, and Rebel signee, Jackson Jobe was drafted by the Detrot Tigers as the No. 3 overall pick in Sunday’s first round.

Jobe, a right-hander out of Heritage Hall High School in Oklahoma, was the centerpiece of the Rebels incoming freshman class this fall, but now appears to be heading for the Tigers minor league system come August.