D-Backs Draft Shipley 15th Overall in First Round
Published on June 6, 2013 under Pioneer League (PL)
Missoula PaddleHeads News Release
MISSOULA, MONT. - Arizona Diamondbacks General Manager Kevin Towers has a history of liking pitchers with "power arms."
He got one in tonight's first round of the 2013 Major League Baseball First -Year Player Draft. And that power arm may wind up with the Missoula Osprey.
Picking 15th overall, the D- backs selected Braden Shipley, a 6' 3", 190 -pound right-handed pitcher out of the University of Nevada. Baseball America rated Shipley as its #8 prospect in this year's draft.
This spring, in his junior season with the Wolfpack, Shipley went 7-3 with a 2.77 ERA. In 15 games, all as a starter, Shipley allowed 84 hits in 107 1/3 innings pitched. He limited opponents to a .218 batting average, striking out 102 while walking 34 - a ratio of nearly three-to-one. He struck out 10 or more batters in a game four times.
Shipley, from Medford, Ore., is a two-time Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Year and 1st Team All-MWC honoree (2012 & 2013) after starting his college career as a shortstop. He's the first University of Nevada player to be drafted in the first round.
His draft stock began to rise after his sophomore season, in which Shipley posted a 9-4 record and a 2.20 ERA. He followed that up with an outstanding summer with the Anchorage Bucs of the Alaska League; working as a closer, he went 1-2 with seven saves and a 2.44 ERA and was named the circuit's top prospect.
Ray Montgomery, the Arizona Diamondbacks Director of Scouting, said "We're looking for starting pitching and it is something y ou can never have enough of. Braden has three plus pitches and he's one of the best overall athletes in the draft. He's a great kid with a great family and a great pick for us."
According to Baseball America 's scouting report, "Shipley's fastball si ts in the 93-95 mph range and gets as high as 98, and he already has feel for one of the draft's best changeups. He doesn't use his Missoula Osprey Professional Baseball Club 140 North Higgins Avenue Missoula, MT 59802 Phone: (406) 543-3300 Fax: (406) 543-9463 cont'd curveball much, but has a feel for spin, too. His breaking ball is a hard, downer pitch in the upper 70s, and he has experim ented with a cutter."
Shipley, 21, comes with an athletic pedigree. His cousin, Jordan Shipley, was an NFL wide receiver with the Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars. That football-like mentality shows up in BA's scouting report, which says Braden "pitches with a mean streak on the mound and is fearless when it comes to challenging hitters and owning the inner half of the plate.
Shipley is a good athlete and makes difficult defensive plays on the mound look routine."
The defending Pioneer League Champion Osprey begin their season on June 20 at home against the Helena Brewers. Tickets can be purchased at the MSO Hub Box Office, located at 140 N. Higgins Ave, by phone at (406) 543-3300, or online at www.missoulaosprey.com.
Pioneer League Stories from June 6, 2013
- D-Backs Draft Shipley 15th Overall in First Round - Missoula PaddleHeads
- Owlz Photo Contest: Deadline June 14th - Northern Colorado Owlz
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
