With the twenty-fourth pick in the draft, the Dodgers have selected right-handed starting pitcher Wakler Buehler. He was originally projected as a top ten pick when the first round of mock drafts came out, but has since fallen in the rankings. Both MLB.com and Keith Law had the Tampa Bay Rays taking him with the 13th overall pick, while Baseball America had him seven spots lower at 20th to the Oakland A's.
Buehler is one of the most advanced and MLB ready prospects in the draft, and has the ability to rise quickly through the minor league system. He's a part of the fantastic trio that Vanderbilt had going into the draft this year, and made 14 starts out of the rotation for the Commodores. In 78.2 innings, Buehler posted an ERA of 2.97 with a K/9 of 9.32 and a BB/9 of just 2.09. While his stock has fallen slightly as the season progressed, Buehler has a fantastic track record, and a career ERA of 2.87. He has a fastball that reaches 96 MPH, and was Co-MVP of the Cape Cod League last year.
He dealt with some elbow soreness that caused him to miss two starts at the beginning of the season, but Buehler proved he was durable once he returned. His frame is less than ideal for a starting pitcher, but has time to build up his strength once his professional career begins.