MLB Draft 2015: Dodgers take Walker Buehler with first-round pick

LOS ANGELES -- With their first-round selection in the 2015 MLB Draft, the Dodgers selected right-handed pitcher Walker Buehler from Vanderbilt with the No. 24 overall pick.

This is the first pick for the new front office regime and scouting director Billy Gasparino. This marks the third consecutive year the Dodgers have drafted a pitcher in the first round, following Chris Anderson in 2013 and Grant Holmes in 2014.

The right-hander was 4-2 with a 2.97 ERA in 14 starts as a junior for Vanderbilt in 2015, with 81 strikeouts and 25 walks in 78⅔ innings.

He was rated the No. 12 overall prospect in the Baseball America pre-draft top 500, and our David Hood had him rated even higher, at No. 6 in his top 200 draft prospects.

Hood rated Buehler as a 65-grade prospect on the 20-80 scouting scale, praising his athleticism, easy velocity, and three-pitch mix, while also noting Buehler's command wavers and he has an uneven frame (6'2, 175 pounds).

Hood wrote about Buehler and some Vanderbilt teammates during the Dodgertown Classic at Dodger Stadium in March:

One of two starting pitchers Vanderbilt could place in the first ten picks of the June draft, Buehler might be the "more traditional" picks of the two, but even his profile is something of an anomaly. Buehler has a slight frame reminiscent of Tim Hudson, with narrow shoulders and waist that don’t look capable of packing on much more weight. This causes concern for his durability, but Buehler crossed the 100 innings mark as a sophomore last season.

The allotted slot bonus value for the No. 24 pick is $2,094,400.

Buehler was originally drafted out of Henry Clay High School in Lexington, Kentucky in the 14th round in 2012 by the Pirates, but he did not sign.

Twitter: @@buehlersdayoff