Zach Root had to wait a little bit to hear his name called on Sunday, July 13, but he couldn’t have asked for a better landing spot in Major League Baseball when he heard his name called at 8:57 p.m.
The Fort Myers High alum was selected with the 40th overall pick in the first round by the Los Angeles Dodgers in Atlanta during All-Star Weekend. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound left-hander became the highest Green Wave player selected, surpassing Adam Davis, who went in the third round (101st overall) in 2006.
“I couldn’t be happier,” Root said via Zoom. “This was my favorite team growing up. I’m happy to be a Dodger.
“Growing up, my dad always made me watch (Clayton) Kershaw and learn to pitch like him. I’ve just been watching Dodger baseball for as long as I can remember, because of Kershaw.”
Pitching collegiately at East Carolina and most recently Arkansas, Root became the highest area selection and the first area first-round pick since Cape Coral alum and USF product Shane McClanahan was selected 30th overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018.
Because the Dodgers went over the competitive balance tax threshold, the club was docked 10 draft spots from No. 30 to 40, but that still made Root a first-round pick despite being selected in the middle of the Competitive Balance Round A. Root’s slot value at No. 40 is $2.44 million.
Root joins arguably the most talented team in the league, and will be in the same farm system as Mariner alum Alex Freeland, who was drafted in the third round by the Dodgers in 2022 out of Central Florida.
“I always knew Zach Root was special from day one,” Kyle Burchfield, Root’s coach while at Fort Myers, wrote in a text message. “Seeing how far he has come in his own journey is incredible. I am a very proud coach to take a small part in what he has accomplished. I wish him nothing but the best and hope the Baseball Gods are in his favor. Go Dodgers!”
Zach Root at Fort Myers High
Root had a dominant senior season for Fort Myers in 2022, finishing with a 6-2 record and a 1.50 ERA, where he struck out 96 batters (13.09 K/7 ratio) across 51 1/3 innings while surrendering just two extra-base hits all year. Of his 96 strikeouts, 65 of them came against teams that advanced to the postseason in their respective classifications. Root won the Southwest Florida Baseball Player of the Year award in 2022.
Overall, he compiled a 13-3 overall record and a 2.16 earned run average while striking out 176 batters in 123.1 innings during his Green Wave career. He also hit .308 (68-for-221) with 46 runs scored and 39 RBI. Root signed with East Carolina out of high school.
Zach Root started his college career at East Carolina
Root pitched two seasons for the Pirates. He earned ACC All-Freshman Team honors going 3-3 record with a 5.33 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 53.2 innings including 13 starts in 20 appearances. As a sophomore, he posted a 6-2 record with a 3.56 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 68.1 innings. He issued only 21 walks and limited opposing hitters to a .228 batting average.
Zach Root at Arkansas
Transferring from East Carolina after his sophomore year, the lefty made things happen in Fayetteville for Arkansas. He went 9-6 with a 3.62 ERA, striking out 126 over 99 1/3 innings pitched and helped the Razorbacks make the College World Series. He had a WHIP of 1.18, which led to him being First Team All-SEC and a Second Team All-American by Perfect Game. His 126 strikeouts ranked fifth in Division I.
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X: @NP_AlexMartin. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: MLB Draft: Los Angeles Dodgers pick Fort Myers alum, Arkansas ace Zach Root 40th
Reporting by Alex Martin, Fort Myers News-Press / Fort Myers News-Press
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