3 Arizona pitchers selected late in Major League Baseball Draft

Arizona pitchers Casey Hintz, Raul Garayzar and Michael Hilker Jr. were late selections in the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft on Monday. Hintz was the 482nd overall selection by Seattle in the 16th round, Garayzar was the 543rd overall pick by Arizona in the 18th round and Hilker Jr. by Minnesota in the 20th round.

Hilker Jr. was the ninth Arizona player chosen in the 2025 MLB Draft and the fourth pitcher after Julian Tonghini, Hunter Alberini, Hintz and Garayzar were chosen earlier on Monday. The nine players drafted from Arizona are the most since 2008, when 11 Wildcats were chosen in a 22-round draft.

Hintz was 7-4 with a 5.56 earned run average in 24 relief appearances in 2025. In 55 innings pitched, Hintz allowed 55 hits, walked 21, hit nine batters and had 43 strikeouts. Hintz allowed 11 doubles and eight home runs in 241 batters faced during the 2025 season.

Seattle also had the 482nd pick in the 2024 MLB Draft when they chose outfielder Brayden Corn. Corn chose to attend Western Carolina in 2025. Seattle drafted Corn with the 452nd pick in the 2025 MLB Draft on Monday. Corn and Hintz could become minor league teammates.

Hintz will likely be assigned to the Seattle team in the Arizona Complex League in the Phoenix area, the single-A Modesto Nuts or high-A Everett Aqua Sox. Everett is the least likely of the three teams where Hintz will begin his professional baseball career.

Garayar became a key pitcher for Arizona late in the season. In 21 appearances with eight starts, Garayzar was 2-0 with a 2.81 ERA in 57.2 innings. Garayzar allowed 49 hits, with 19 walks and nine hit batters, while striking out 49. Garayzar allowed six doubles and three HRs in 246 batters faced.

Pitcher Matt Tiberia was the 543rd pick in the 2024 MLB Draft by Seattle. Tiberia currently pitches for Modesto, where he has three wins and no losses with a 2.27 ERA in 10 starts. Garayzar could have a similar career track to Tiberia.

Garayzar seems most likely to begin his professional baseball career with the Diamondbacks in the Arizona Complex League. The Visalia Rawhide are the Arizona single-A team in the California League and Hillsboro Hops are the high-A team for the Diamondbacks in the Northwest League.

Hilker Jr. was 2-1 with a 6.45 ERA for Arizona in 2025 after transferring from Division II Wisconsin-Whitewater. Hilker Jr. pitched in 22.1 innings, allowing 22 hits, four walks, two hit batters and 22 strikeouts, with opponents hitting five doubles and a triple with no homeruns.

Hilker Jr. was the 599th pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. That is the second consecutive year an Arizona player was chosen 599th in the MLB Draft. Mason Russell, who pitched in seven games for Arizona with a 13.50 ERA, was the 599th pick in the 2025 MLB Draft.

Hilker Jr. will likely begin his career with the Minnesota rookie team in the Florida Complex League. The Fort Myers Mighty Mussels are the Class A team for Minnesota in the Florida State League and the Cedar Rapids Kernels are the High-A team for Minnesota in the Midwest League.

Arizona head coach Chip Hale and his staff have done an exceptional job developing players to be drafted. That will significantly help the program in the future. Hale's experience as a former MLB player, coach and manager provides him with unique knowledge to prepare players for professional baseball.