The Diamondbacks spent the 56th overall pick on J.R. Bradley.
Follow the jump for his pre-draft report.
J.R. Bradley Position: RHP School: Nitro HS State: WV Height: 6’3’’ Weight: 185
Birth Date: 6/17/92 Seiler Rating: 1C2 Commitment: NC State
J.R. Bradley is a tall, projectable right-handed high school starting pitcher from Nitro High School in Nitro, West Virginia, which is just outside of Charleston. Bradley is the exact definition of what a pop-up prospect is. He was nowhere on the radar screen for a legitimate draft pick entering the spring, and now teams are jockeying as to whether they can get him in the round they want him in. He has matured in a very short time from middle infield prospect to starting pitching prospect, and even though he’s considered a top prospect now, a lot of his value is still in projection. Most scouts that have seen him agree that he appears to have just scratched the surface, so evaluations are based a lot on hoping where he might be ten years from now. He’s a potential number three starter in the big leagues, though, and those types of talents don’t grow on trees, so he’s deserving of a high draft slot. His fastball is a potential plus pitch with time and strength, but it’s usually a solid-average pitch, sitting 89-92, touching as high as 94. He commands it well within the strike zone, but the barometer of competition is a little skewed, since West Virginia high school baseball is historically weak. He adds in a potential solid-average slider and an above-average changeup, and that’s encouraging for the transition to come against pro bats. He’s expected to go anywhere from the second to fifth rounds, and while there’s a little too much projection going on at the top of that range, he’s a signable prep arm with upside, so he’s easily worth the money.