The Braves selected right-handed pitcher Ryan Cusick of Wake Forest University with the 24th overall pick in the 2021 First-Year Player Draft on Sunday night. The Braves have taken a Wake Forest pitcher with each of their last two first-round picks after selecting left-hander Jared Shuster last season.
Cusick, 21, went 3-5 with a 4.24 ERA (33 ER/70.0 IP) in 12 games, all starts, for Wake Forest this season. He struck out 108, compiling the highest strikeout per nine innings (13.89) mark in the ACC and the 10th best in the nation. He struck out double digits in six of his starts. He was an All-ACC Second Team selection.
Cusick was a three-year contributor for Wake Forest and struck out 206 batters in 158.0 career innings. His SO/9 ratio of 11.73 is the third highest in school history, and he went 7-5 with a 5.63 ERA (55 ER/88.0 IP) in 23 career games, including 16 starts.
A native of Sudbury, Mass., the 6-foot-6, 235-pounder entered the drafted ranked by MLB.com as the No. 26 overall prospect and the 11th-best pitcher.
Cusick is the first collegiate right-hander chosen in the first round by the Braves since they took Kyle Wright with the fifth overall pick out of Vanderbilt University in 2017. The Braves now have selected pitchers with their first selection in five of the last six drafts.
The Braves’ next pick is in the second round at No. 59 overall.
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