The Dodgers’ first two picks in this year’s MLB draft came consecutively at Nos. 40 and 41 overall.
Turns out, their two selections came from the same school, as well, with the team taking left-handed pitcher Zach Root and contact-hitting outfielder Charles Davalan out of the University of Arkansas.
Root, a junior for the Razorbacks this year, went at No. 40. A transfer from East Carolina, he had a 3.62 earned-run average this season with 126 strikeouts in 99⅓ innings. Scouting reports lauded his versatile pitch mix, which includes a slider, curveball and changeup from a funky low arm-slot delivery.
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Davalan, a sophomore who was draft-eligible, also transferred into Arkansas last year after one season at Florida Gulf Coast. He hit .346 for the Razorbacks with 14 home runs, 60 RBIs and more walks (35) than strikeouts (27).
Both players were part of an Arkansas team that won 50 games and reached the College World Series.
Both figure to be key pieces of the Dodgers’ future, as well.
Though the Dodgers once again were boxed out of a high draft pick — picking outside the top 30 for the third time in the last four years because of competitive balance tax penalties — the team did acquire an extra selection in what is known as “Competitive Balance Round A,” securing the No. 41 overall selection as part of the trade that sent Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds.
That meant, for the first time since 2019, the Dodgers made two top-50 selections.
And when their selections were on the clock, they identified the pair of Southeastern Conference teammates.
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Root is a Fort Myers, Fla., native who was the No. 31-ranked recruit in the state coming out of high school, according to Perfect Game.
After starting his college career at East Carolina, where he had a 9-5 record and 4.43 ERA in two seasons, he found immediate success upon joining Arkansas, earning first-team All-SEC honors and second- and third-team All-American nods.
Though he grew up in Florida, Root said he was a childhood Dodgers fan — thanks in large part to another certain left-handed pitcher.
“Growing up, my dad always made me watch [Clayton] Kershaw and learn to pitch like him,” Root said. “So I’ve just been watching Dodger baseball ever since I can remember, because of Kershaw.”
Davalan took a decidedly more circuitous route to the Dodgers.
Arkansas batter Charles Davalan runs to first base during a game against Arkansas State on April 8. (Michael Woods / Associated Press)
Originally a childhood hockey player from Quebec, Canada, Davalan moved to Florida when he was in high school during the COVID-19 pandemic, enrolling in a specialized high school that allowed him to spend much of his days training as a baseball player.
“With COVID, a lot got shut down in Canada,” Davalan said. “So decided to go live in Florida, where the restrictions [weren’t there] and you could play 12 months of the year.”
From there, the undersized Davalan — who is listed at 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds — got one D-I offer from FGCU, impressed enough there to transfer to Arkansas, and then blossomed into “one of the best hitters in the draft class, I think,” Root said of his teammate. “Getting him at pick 41 is just a big steal for the Dodgers.”
Davalan offered similar praise about Root, calling him “kind of an old-school pitcher” who “really filled the zones up good, but can still get his punchouts when he needs to get out of the jam.”
“Old-school” was also an adjective Davalan used to describe himself.
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“I like to win. I like to play hard,” he said. “So that’s what I’m going to try to do. And I’m sure that knowing the organization, it’s filled of players like that, so I’m super excited just to get to meet new people.”
And, of course, be reacquainted with one from his recent past.
“He’s one of my best friends because of Arkansas,” Root said. “He’s a really great dude.”
“I guess I’m going to have to live with him in a couple more years,” Davalan joked. “He’s awesome.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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