Jennifer Hilderbrand-USA Today Sports
Arizona Diamondbacks had the 15th pick in 2013 MLB Draft, and once again decided to add to their surplus of pitching. Braden Shipley, a right-hander from University of Nevada, is the latest pitcher to be selected by the snakes.
The interesting thing about Shipley is that he just recently became a starter in his junior season. His previous position was shortstop, showing that he is an athlete. There are not many players that can make the shift from infielder to pitcher and have success.
The one thing that jumps out at you and makes you take notice of him is his quick, loose arm. The fastball that he possesses is a plus pitch for him that can touch 98 mph.
The velocity is not the only thing he has going for him. He throws both a curveball and a changeup, and while they are not as consistent as his fastball, both should be able to get MLB hitters out in the future. The scouts believe that his curveball needs more work, and they are impressed with his athleticism.
Shipley is generally around the plate with all three of his pitches and shows no fear in going after hitters. He is not part of the elite group of college arms in this class, but he is not far behind them.
Shipley will make a great addition to the young pitching that Arizona has in their farm system. They can use him as either a reliever or a starting pitcher in the future for the team.
Chris is the Diamondbacks writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow and interact with him on Twitter. Like Chris on Facebook. Add him to your network on Google.
