“We’re really excited to be able to take Walker at 24,” said Dodger Director, Amateur Scouting Billy Gasparino. “He has a lean, athletic build, a power three-plus pitch mix and is a quality young man.”
The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder went 4-2 with a 2.97 ERA in 14 starts this season for Vanderbilt, which is heading to the College World Series. Buehler, 20, was rated by Baseball America as the third-best pitcher in the 2015 draft and struck out 81 against only 25 walks in 78.2 innings this year. He made his Dodger Stadium debut on March 8, starting the Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic for the Commodores against TCU and allowing just one run on three hits with five strikeouts in 4.0 innings.
During the course of his three-year college career, Buehler, a junior, went 20-7 with a 2.88 ERA (78 ER/244.0 IP) in 49 games (39 starts), striking out 249 against only 83 walks.
Buehler was scouted by Dodger area scout Marty Lamb and originally selected by the Pirates in the 14th round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of Henry Clay High School in Lexington, Kentucky.
In addition to Buehler, the Dodgers also selected University of Louisville right-hander Kyle Funkhouser in Compensation Round A (No. 35 overall, compensation pick for Hanley Ramirez), Plano (Texas) Senior High School outfielder Mitchell Hansen in the second round (No. 67 overall), and University of Virginia right-hander Josh Sborz in Competitive Balance Round B (No. 74 overall, obtained in trade with Baltimore).
Funkhouser, 21, was rated by Baseball America as the fifth-best pitcher in the draft. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound junior went 8-5 with a 3.20 ERA in 17 starts for the Cardinals this year, limiting opponents to a .228 batting average with 104 strikeouts in 112.1 innings. He was also scouted by Lamb.
“He’s an advanced college pitcher and was the ace on a really good team,” said Gasparino. “He’s big, physical and has got a really good arm action delivery. He throws up to 95 with a quality mix of secondary pitches.”
As a sophomore in 2014, Funkhouser earned First Team ABCA All-America, Second Team Louisville Slugger All-America and Third Team Baseball America All-America honors, setting a school record with 13 wins (13-3) and posting a 1.94 ERA in 18 starts.
Following the season, he was selected to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team and went 1-2 with a 1.27 ERA (4 ER/28.1 IP) in six games (five starts) during the club’s summer tour. The Oak Forest, IL native opened his college career by being named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American after going 5-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 22 games (six starts).
Hansen, 19, is a left-handed hitter who was selected as a 2015 Perfect Game 1st Team All-American. He batted .432 with two home runs and 18 RBI this season. The 6-foot-4, 197-pound Stanford commit was a member of the 2014 USA Baseball 18U squad and scouted by Dodger scout Josh Herzenberg.
“He’s five-tool corner outfielder and a smart kid from a good home,” said Gasparino.
With their fourth pick of the night, Los Angeles drafted University of Virginia right-hander Josh Sborz, a 2015 Second-Team All-ACC selection.
“He’s an accomplished right-hander, who started last year and transitioned to a closer role this year,” said Gasparino. “He has a plus fastball with a really good curveball and, this year, he added a slider to his mix.”
Sborz has gone 4-2 with an ACC-leading 14 saves (T-1st) and 1.95 ERA this season, while limiting opponents to a .164 batting average in 60.0 innings for Virginia, who advanced to the College World Series. In 187.0 career innings, the 21-year-old has allowed just 128 hits while striking out 171 and holding opponents to a .195 batting average. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound junior was scouted by Dodger scout Clair Rierson.
The Dodgers have selected a pitcher with their top pick in the draft 12 of the last 13 years. Below are the Dodgers’ first-round selections since the start of the draft in 1965:
1965 John Wyatt (INF)
1966 Larry Hutton (RHP)
1967 Don Denbow (INF)
1968 Bobby Valentine (OF)
1969 Terry McDermott (C)
1970 Jim Haller (RHP)
1971 Rick Rhoden (RHP)
1972 John Harbin (INF)
1973 Ted Farr (C)
1974 Rick Sutcliffe (RHP)
1975 Mark Bradley (INF)
1976 Mike Scioscia (C)
1977 Bob Welch (RHP)
1978 None
1979 Steve Howe (LHP)
Steve Perry (RHP)
1980 Ross Jones (INF)
1981 Dave Anderson (INF)
1982 Franklin Stubbs (1B)
1983 Erik Sonberg (LHP)
1984 Dennis Livingston (RHP)
1985 Chris Gwynn (OF)
1986 Mike White (OF)
1987 Dan Opperman (RHP)
1988 Bill Bene (RHP)
1989 Kiki Jones (RHP)
Tom Goodwin (OF)
Jamie McAndrew* (RHP)
1990 Ronnie Walden (LHP)
1991 None
1992 Ryan Luzinski* (C)
Michael Moore* (OF)
1993 Darren Dreifort (RHP)
1994 Paul Konerko (C)
1995 David Yocum (LHP)
1996 Damian Rolls (INF)
1997 Glenn Davis (1B)
1998 Bubba Crosby (OF)
1999 Jason Repko* (INF)
2000 Ben Diggins (RHP)
2001 None
2002 James Loney (1B)
Greg Miller* (LHP)
2003 Chad Billingsley (RHP)
2004 Scott Elbert (LHP)
Blake DeWitt (3B)
Justin Orenduff* (RHP)
2005 Luke Hochevar* (RHP)
2006 Clayton Kershaw (LHP)
Bryan Morris* (RHP)
Preston Mattingly* (INF)
2007 Chris Withrow (RHP)
James Adkins* (LHP)
2008 Ethan Martin (RHP)
2009 Aaron Miller* (LHP)
2010 Zach Lee (RHP)
2011 Chris Reed (LHP)
2012 Corey Seager (SS)
Jesmuel Valentin* (SS)
2013 Chris Anderson (RHP)
2014 Grant Holmes (RHP)
2015 Walker Buehler (RHP)
Kyle Funkhouser* (RHP)
By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services
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