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MLB Draft 2015: Mock drafts link LHP Alex Young to Dodgers

Alex Young averaged nearly a strikeout per inning as a junior for TCU.
Alex Young averaged nearly a strikeout per inning as a junior for TCU.
Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

We will find out exactly who the Dodgers will take with their first four picks of the MLB Draft later on Monday night, but a look at a pair of mock drafts have the team taking TCU left-handed pitcher Alex Young with their supplemental first round pick, No. 35 overall.

John Manuel at Baseball America in his mock draft version 5.1 has the Dodgers selecting left-handed pitcher Brady Aiken with their first-round pick No. 24 overall. Aiken was the No. 1 overall pick last year but didn't sign with the Astros amid concerns about his elbow. He had Tommy John surgery in March.

But with the Dodgers' No. 35 pick, obtained as compensation for Hanley Ramirez signing with the Red Sox, Manuel has the Dodgers drafting Young, calling it a "conservative" pick.

Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo are split at MLB.com on the Dodgers' first pic, with Callis tabbing Texas high school third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes, son of former major leaguer Charlie Hayes (more on Ke'Bryan from David Hood here), and Mayo slotting San Clemente High School left-hander Kolby Allard.

Mayo has the Dodgers using their No. 35 pick on San Dimas High School (football rules!) right-handed pitcher Peter Lambert, while Callis thinks the Dodgers will go with Young.

So what do we know about Young?

Baseball America has Young rated as No. 32 overall on its pre-draft top 500 list.

Hood in his top 200 list gave Young a 55 grade on the 20-80 scouting scale, noting his three-pitch mix, plus slider and good command. But Hood also said Young's fastball can be fringy and that he has limited upside.

Young is a college junior and is listed at 6;2, 205 pounds. His hometown is Hawthorn Woods, Ill, about 40 miles north of Chicago. He was drafted by the Rangers in the 32th round in 2012 out of Carmel Catholic High School in nearby Mundelein, but did not sign.

Young in 2015 was 9-2 with a 2.39 ERA in 15 games for TCU, including 14 starts, with 81 strikeouts and 19 walks in 83 innings. He struck out 158 and walked 45 in 166⅔ innings in his three years at TCU.

As luck would have it, TCU faces Texas A&M in a winner-take-all Game 3 of their super regional matchup on Monday night at 4 p.m. PT, fighting for one of eight spots at the College World Series in Omaha.

Young last pitched last Monday and might start for TCU, though that hasn't yet been officially decided.