1s.48 Detroit Tigers - Chance Ruffin, RHP, Texas

The Tigers selected Chance Ruffin. Here's his profile:

Chance Ruffin   Position: RHP   School: Texas   State: TX   Year: Jr.   Height: 6’1’’   Weight: 185

Birth Date: 9/8/88   Seiler Rating: 1C4   Last Drafted: Never

Chance Ruffin is a solid right-handed collegiate relief pitcher from the University of Texas. Ruffin came to Texas from Lake Travis High School in Austin, so he essentially just had to move across town for college. The son of former Major League pitcher Bruce Ruffin, Chance was a solid recruit, but due to a lack of plus size or fastball velocity, he was seen in the scouting community as someone who should go to college and improve over three years. He went undrafted, and he’s done just that. He established himself as a legitimate prospect during his freshman year, when he dominated in a swing role, and he only reaffirmed that with a big season as a sophomore, when he mostly pitched as a starter. Due to the excess of pitchers on the Texas staff this spring, he volunteered for the closer’s role, and he’s taken off, making himself into one of the top relievers available in the draft class. His upside is more that of a solid setup man, but he has enough secondary stuff to think of him as a potential second-division closer. His fastball is solid-average to above-average, sitting 91-93, touching 95, and he complements it with a plus slider, solid-average curveball, and fringe-average changeup. The changeup is likely to be dropped at the next level if he’s kept in relief, but the slider and curveball represent solid pitches. He isn’t expected to add any more velocity, as he works with a smallish frame, but he’s a good pitcher with a track history for success and high makeup. He could go as high as the supplemental first round as the first true reliever taken, but he fits better in the second or third rounds, where he should sign quickly for slot money as a fast-moving reliever.