MLB Draft: Atlanta Braves add pitchers on a day of eclectic choices
By Fred Owens
Andy Samuelson LHP L/L 6-4, 185 NR
Round 12 overall pick 367
Samuelson’s a left-handed relief pitcher from LaPorte, Ind. A starter in high school, he threw a no-hitter his senior year and led the team to the regionals. He finished his senior season with a 3-2 record and 1.13 ERA.
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He enrolled at Valparaiso University, but there’s no record of him pitching that year.
According to The Gleaner, Samuelson pitched for the Henderson Flash last summer appearing in 12 games, tossing 12 1/3 innings and striking out 20 while recording two saves and taking the loss in one game.
He attended Wabash Valley College (JuCo) 2018-19, where he threw 15 1/3 innings of relief in 16 games, striking out 29, walking 13, and ending the season with a 1.04 WHIP and a 2.93 ERA.
According to the Chicago Tribune in May of 2107, “His stuff, particularly his curve, can be nasty.” That appears a trend in the draft so far, almost every arm spins the ball well.
Tyler Owens RHP R/R 5’’-10 185 Pipeline 199/ BA Rk 182
Round 13 overall pick 397 @Owenstyler34
Owens is the second nationally ranked pitcher taken by the Atlanta Braves so far. The first thing both scouting reports mention is his size.
Pitchers that aren’t six feet tall slide down draft boards quickly in favor of long levers that – at least in theory – generate power more efficiently.
Size didn’t stop Billy Wagner (also 5-10) from becoming one of the game’s elite closers, Pedro Martinez (5-11) did okay, and Marcus Stroman (5-7) seems fine too.
Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45 (Scouting grades from MLBPIPEL:INE)
Owens features a fastball that’s touched 97, but usually sits low-to-mid-90s. He pairs that with a slider that’s either sharp or fringy depending on your source and flashes a plus changeup now and then, but he hasn’t needed it much at the high school level.
According to the Florida State’s Chomp Talk, He missed part of the 2017 season with an injury.
". . . missed much of the year with a scapular imbalance which caused inflammation in his shoulder, but he did return for the playoff run. Owens is completely healed and stated “I have never felt better, and my velocity has made a big jump.”"
Owens retweeted his MLB draft selection but really wanted to go to FSU. For obvious reasons, I’m heavily in favor of him signing.
If he signs, I expect they’ll try him as a starter before shoving him into a relief role.
When searching for him on the net be aware that there are at least four others out there, and one playing baseball at a Georgia college.