Dodgers Draft 8 More Pitchers to Wrap Up Day 2 of the 2021 Draft
The Dodgers wrapped up day 2 of the MLB draft by taking a whole bunch of arms. In total, they selected 9 pitchers in the first 10 rounds of drafting, with a few of them coming out of High School. They’re risky picks, but taking them higher in the draft can make it worthwhile.
Let’s dive into some of the picks from Los Angeles this year after selecting Maddux Bruns with the 29th overall pick.
Peter Heubeck- Pick 101
Heubeck was selected out of Gilam High School in Maryland and has a ton of upside. He’s an analytics pick with a crazy spin rate focus and a curveball that already has insane plus potential. He is committed to playing at Wake Forest, but there is hope that he will still sign with the Dodgers. If he does, he has a pretty high ceiling as a rotation member.
Nick Nastrini- Pick 131
The Dodges went local to scoop up RHP Nick Nastrini from UCLA. He was treated for thoracic outlet syndrome early in his college career requiring a rib to be removed. Nastrini has a real 4-pitch mix that gives him a high floor as a projectile starter. At 21-years-old, he might not be THAT far away from the big leagues depending on how he develops.
Ben Casparius- Pick 162
They took RHP Ben Casparius out of UConn with the 162nd pick in the draft. Casparius doesn’t have much zip on his fastball at 22-years-old, but his slider and change-up have both grabbed the attention of scouts. He spent time in the weekend rotation for UConn, though his stuff could play up long-term in the bullpen.
Emmet Sheehan- Pick 192
Sheehan was taken with the 192nd overall pick out of Boston College. The biggest question for him is whether or not he will return to Boston to try and raise his draft value. With a 6th round selection this year, that very well could be in the cards. The right-handed pitcher stands 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds and struck out 106 through over 76 innings of work. His overall numbers did not impress though as he put up a 4.23 ERA and walked a lot of guys.
Ryan Sublette- Pick 222
The Dodgers took RHP Ryan Sublette out of Texas Tech in the 7th round, a 22-year-old who took a big step forward in his senior year. Sublette features an above-average slider that he spots very well and profiles long-term as a reliever. His fastball does sit around 94-96 mph and could be a multiple-inning guy.
Ben Harris- Pick 252
The Dodgers took just their second left-handed pitcher in the draft in the 8th round with Harris. He has 2 more years of college eligibility, so he could also choose to return to Georgia and build his value. He pitched 20 games out of the bullpen for the Bulldogs and pitched to a 2.33 ERA with a high strikeout ratio. Harris did issue 28 walks in 38.2 innings though, which is a concern.
Lael Lockhart- Pick 282
They took another lefty in Lael Lockhart in the 9th round. At 23-years-old, Lockhart appeared in 16 games for the Arkansas team and pitched to a 4.47 ERA with 14 starts. He did show good command though, only walking 17 batters across 58.1 innings of work.
Michael Hobbs- Pick 312
They took RHP Michael Hobbs with the final pick of the 2021 MLB draft. Hobbs pitched in relief out of the St Mary’s College bullpen and was phenomenal. He pitched to a 0.72 ERA in 25 innings with 28 strikeouts. Hobbs has 1 more season of college eligibility though, and many believe that he will choose to up his value.
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Ha, this is the problem with winning the World Series, you get the last pick in each round….I guess we don’t need any position players…I think we will be lucky to sign 5 of these long shots…
Why do we need position players? Our lineup is ultra consistent and our #3 prospect, Michael Busch is raking at a .223 clip. Who’s running the draft these days? Zero stud bats on the farm
Pretty much the case about position player prospects. Outside of catcher Ruiz, the cupboard is empty..
You said they finished the 2021 draft? I thought it was 20 rounds this year.
Cool. I say we throw all eight against the Rockies on Friday. Can’t be any worse than some of our other bullpen games.
Look the Giants drafted 9 pitchers. Pitchers are so volatile, you can never have enough pitching, especially this year’s draft was pitching heavy. I believe @ the time of their turn they picked the best available talent. Maybe they see a better potential in prospects in the international market @ a cheaper rate.
Fair enough but there’s not much in the way of good hitting prospects in the system right now unless one considers Busch and his .223 BA at AA Tulsa.
MLB draft is not necessarily based on needs @ the moment, unlike the NFL draft or college recruiting where needs are more urgent. In MLB you draft the best available talent for your pick and look for potential development in 2-3 yrs. You wouldn’t pick a marginal pos. player just for a need when there’s a better choice in a pitching prospect. In baseball there’s trades and FA’cy that can be worked for a position player, unlike in college recruiting and the NFL draft you expect immediate results to help the team. W/ the volatility of pitchers, more the merrier, when one goes down it’s usually a serious injury that takes time to recover and rehab. Pitchers need time to develop their repertoire.