ROANOKE, Va. – He was considered a top prospect by many in the 2022 MLB Draft and Virginia Tech Hokies outfielder Gavin Cross didn’t wait long Sunday night to get the call.
The Hokies outfielder was selected 9th by the Kansas City Royals in the opening round of the Draft. The Bristol, Tennessee native displayed his talent and power during his time in Blacksburg. Cross was an All-ACC First Team selection and a pivotal part of the Hokies Super Regionals run in the NCAA Tournament.
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Cross a posted a .340 career average for Virginia Tech with 28 home runs.
Gavin Cross becomes the first hitter selected in the first round since Franklin Stubbs was taken by the Dodgers in 1982.
James Madison outfielder/pitcher Chase DeLauter was selected 16th overall by the Cleveland Guardians. The 6-foot-5 20 year old was a 2nd Team All-CAA selection.
In his 3 seasons with the Dukes, DeLauter carried a .402 batting average in 66 games. He had 15 home runs and 70 RBI’s to go along with that.
The selection sets program and school history, as DeLauter becomes the highest draft pick in program history and the highest a JMU student-athlete has been drafted in one of the four major professional sports in North America (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL). He is the first James Madison player to be drafted since a quartet of Dukes were selected in the 2019 Draft and he is the 81st overall player drafted from the program.
A three-year starter at JMU, DeLauter played from 2020-22 and started in all 66 games he played in. He leaves as the program’s all-time leader in on-base percentage (.520), second in batting average (.402) and third in slugging percentage (.715). Over his career, he collected 103 hits including four triples, 15 home runs and 27 doubles. He knocked in 70 runs and scored 71 himself, as he also stole 24 bases and drew 62 walks. He reached base safely in 62 of the 66 games he played in and of the 65 games that he recorded an official at bat in, he recorded a hit in 55 of them.