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The Los Angeles Dodgers selected right-handed pitcher Bobby Miller out of Louisville with with their first pick in the 2020 MLB Draft on Wednesday. Miller was the 29th overall selection in the draft.
Various national mock drafts linked the Dodgers mostly to college players, both hitters and pitchers. Miller was mentioned once to the Dodgers, by Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com.
“It’s probably the deepest draft in the last five years, especially in the first round,” Dodgers vice president of amateur scouting Billy Gasparino said two weeks ago. “The college pitching group and the high school hitting group are really strong.”
There will nine college pitchers drafted in the first round this year, including Miller and his Louisville teammate Reid Detmers, who was drafted 10th overall by the Angels.
Miller is the first college pitcher drafted by the Dodgers in the first round since Jordan Sheffield in 2016.
Bobby Miller, Louisville (Junior).
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 14, 2020
82MPH Curve
88MPH Slider
99MPH 2 Seam
98MPH 2 Seam ⛽️
87Mph Change.
Stats so far this year:
23.1 IP, 34K, .181 batting average against.
Louisville's got themselves some arms. @BMilled15 pic.twitter.com/4kfLPjwsbN
The 6’5 right-hander had a 3.28 ERA with 175 strikeouts and 68 walks in 170 innings in three years in college, including a 2.31 ERA in four starts this year.
Miller was rated the 28th best-prospect in the draft by Baseball America, ranked 26th by MLB.com, 47th by ESPN, ranked 57th by Keith Law at The Athletic, and 28th by FanGraphs.
The recommended bonus slot value for the 29th overall selection is $2,424,600. The deadline to sign draft picks this year is August 1.
On Thursday, the Dodgers have five more picks, beginning with the 60th overall selection, their second-rounder. MLB Draft coverage on Day 2 begins at 2 p.m. PT, televised by both MLB Network and ESPN2.