Florida's A.J. Puk reacts after getting a big out in Saturday's game against Vanderbilt at McKethan Stadium. (Photo: Madison Schultz for UAA)
Gators starter A.J. Puk and a look at pitchers taken No. 1 overall in MLB Draft
Friday, May 20, 2016 | Baseball, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The first overall pick in the MLB Amateur Draft has produced some of the game's top superstars since its inception in 1965.
Ken Griffey Jr. (Mariners, 1987), Chipper Jones (Braves, 1990), Alex Rodriguez (Mariners, 1993), Josh Hamilton (Devil Rays, 1999) and Bryce Harper (Nationals, 2010) are five players who lived up to the hype, albeit at different rates.
Of course, there are always head scratchers such as how Barry Bonds was the No. 6 pick in the '85 draft, selected behind four future major leaguers – B.J. Surhoff, Will Clark, Bobby Witt and Barry Larkin – and a catcher from Glendora (Ariz.) High School named Kurt Brown. The fifth pick of the draft, Brown never made it above Triple-A Vancouver, where he played 84 games in 1991 and called it a career.
With this year's draft set for June 9-11, speculation is starting to ramp up about who will be the overall No. 1 selection. Not much has changed.
Gators junior left-hander A.J. Puk, who started Friday night's game at LSU, remains on top of the board according to many analysts.
ESPN.com's Keith Law has Puk going No. 1 to the Phillies in his first mock draft. Same goes for MLB.com columnist Jim Callis, who has Puk at No. 1 overall in spite of his 2-3 record in 13 starts this season.
It's easy to see why to Florida head coach Kevin O'Sullivan.
"There's been progression every year,'' O'Sullivan said. "He's been trending upward. Here's the thing: he's 6-7, he's up to 98, and he's left-handed. That's what it looks like in the big leagues."
While Puk doesn't have the won-loss record of fellow Gators starters Logan Shore and Alex Faedo, he has pitched well most of the season (58 1/3 IP, 39 H, 24 R, 19 ER, 29 BB, 83 SO). The Gators had scored just four runs in Puk's last four starts prior to their 5-4 loss on Friday. Puk left the game due to stomach issues after he walked Cole Freeman to leadoff the bottom of the third.
On Saturday at home against Vanderbilt, Puk took the loss despite giving up just three hits and one run over six innings. He struck out 11 and walked two. His brief outing Friday night was his eighth no-decision in 13 starts.
If Puk does go No. 1 in the draft, he'll be just the 18th pitcher taken with the top pick in the draft's 51-year history, the fourth SEC pitcher, and the second SEC lefty, joining Vanderbilt's David Price.
Here is a closer look at the 17 pitchers who have been taken with the No. 1 overall pick and their professional careers:
Chart: Compiled with information from Baseball-reference.com
Ken Griffey Jr. (Mariners, 1987), Chipper Jones (Braves, 1990), Alex Rodriguez (Mariners, 1993), Josh Hamilton (Devil Rays, 1999) and Bryce Harper (Nationals, 2010) are five players who lived up to the hype, albeit at different rates.
Of course, there are always head scratchers such as how Barry Bonds was the No. 6 pick in the '85 draft, selected behind four future major leaguers – B.J. Surhoff, Will Clark, Bobby Witt and Barry Larkin – and a catcher from Glendora (Ariz.) High School named Kurt Brown. The fifth pick of the draft, Brown never made it above Triple-A Vancouver, where he played 84 games in 1991 and called it a career.
With this year's draft set for June 9-11, speculation is starting to ramp up about who will be the overall No. 1 selection. Not much has changed.
Gators junior left-hander A.J. Puk, who started Friday night's game at LSU, remains on top of the board according to many analysts.
ESPN.com's Keith Law has Puk going No. 1 to the Phillies in his first mock draft. Same goes for MLB.com columnist Jim Callis, who has Puk at No. 1 overall in spite of his 2-3 record in 13 starts this season.
It's easy to see why to Florida head coach Kevin O'Sullivan.
"There's been progression every year,'' O'Sullivan said. "He's been trending upward. Here's the thing: he's 6-7, he's up to 98, and he's left-handed. That's what it looks like in the big leagues."
While Puk doesn't have the won-loss record of fellow Gators starters Logan Shore and Alex Faedo, he has pitched well most of the season (58 1/3 IP, 39 H, 24 R, 19 ER, 29 BB, 83 SO). The Gators had scored just four runs in Puk's last four starts prior to their 5-4 loss on Friday. Puk left the game due to stomach issues after he walked Cole Freeman to leadoff the bottom of the third.
On Saturday at home against Vanderbilt, Puk took the loss despite giving up just three hits and one run over six innings. He struck out 11 and walked two. His brief outing Friday night was his eighth no-decision in 13 starts.
If Puk does go No. 1 in the draft, he'll be just the 18th pitcher taken with the top pick in the draft's 51-year history, the fourth SEC pitcher, and the second SEC lefty, joining Vanderbilt's David Price.
Here is a closer look at the 17 pitchers who have been taken with the No. 1 overall pick and their professional careers:
| YEAR | PITCHER | T |
TEAM
|
CAREER GLANCE |
| 1973 | David Clyde | L | Rangers | Straight from HS to majors as 18-year-old; 18-33 career record in parts of five seasons |
| 1976 | Floyd Bannister | L | Astros | First college pitcher to go No. 1 overall; 134-143 career record, 15 seasons; AL-best 209 K's in '82 |
| 1981 | Mike Moore | R | Mariners | Finished 161-176 in 14-year career; went 19-11 for '89 A's to finish third in Cy Young voting |
| 1983 | Tim Belcher | R | Twins | Seven teams in 14-year career; had winning career record (146-140); won a WS with Dodgers in '88 |
| 1988 | Andy Benes | R | Padres | Solid big league starter for 14 years; 155-139 career record; 18-10, 3.83 ERA for '96 Cardinals |
| 1989 | Ben McDonald | R | Orioles | First SEC pitcher selected first overall; 78-70 record over nine seasons; 14-7 for '94 Orioles |
| 1991 | Brien Taylor | L | Yankees | Considered huge bust; selected out of HS, never pitched in majors; 22-30 in minors |
| 1994 | Paul Wilson | R | Mets | Arm trouble stalled career; resurfaced with Devil Rays and Reds to finish 40-58; 11-6 with '04 Reds |
| 1996 | Kris Benson | R | Pirates | Won 11 games as rookie in '99; played with five teams over nine seasons; 70-75, 4.42 ERA overall |
| 1997 | Matt Anderson | R | Tigers | Turned into reliever and made 257 appearances in seven seasons; shoulder issues ended career |
| 2002 | Bryan Bullington | R | Pirates | Ball State product last pitched in majors in 2010; career record of 1-9, 5.62 ERA sums up pick |
| 2006 | Luke Hochevar | R | Royals | Former Tennessee star has a 45-62 record in nine seasons in K.C.; started early in career, now reliever |
| 2007 | David Price | L | Rays | 2012 CYA winner having best career among this group; 110-57 record, 6-1 in first season in Boston |
| 2009 | Stephen Strasburg | R | Nationals | An All-Star in 2012, finishing 15-6; led NL in K's in 2014; 61-37 career record, 3.07 ERA |
| 2011 | Gerrit Cole | R | Pirates | Fourth season in majors; went 19-8 last season to finish fourth in CYA voting; 44-23 in 80 starts |
| 2013 | Mark Appel | R | Astros | Traded to Phillies after slow start to pro career in Astros organization; 20-13 career record in minors |
| 2014 | Brady Aiken | L | Astros | Prep pitcher never signed with Houston, now in Indians organization after Tommy John surgery |
Chart: Compiled with information from Baseball-reference.com
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