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MLB Draft: Philadelphia Phillies Select Notre Dame’s Alex Rao

Rao goes in the eighth round and is the third member of the Irish off the board

COLLEGE BASEBALL: JUN 10 NCAA Super Regionals Photo by Bryan Lynn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Philadelphia Phillies made Alex Rao the third member of the 2022 Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball team to be drafted, selecting him with the 242nd overall pick in the 8th round. Rao joins Jack Brannigan and Liam Simon as Notre Dame players taken in the MLB Draft this year.

Rao pitched exclusively as a reliever this year for Notre Dame, his senior season. He finished with a 3-1 record, 3.83 ERA, 3 saves, and 54 strikeouts over 47.0 innings. He was second on the team in both appearances and strikeouts.

The slot value for the 242nd pick is $178,900, although as a senior and relief pitcher Rao is definitely an underslot candidate. He does have a year of eligibility remaining and recently entered the transfer portal after Link Jarrett left Notre Dame. Being drafted can certainly change those plans though, and as a reliever only chances are Rao’s draft stock doesn’t get much higher than it is right now.