Three days left until the 2017 MLB Draft begins in New York. This year’s Draft class is one of the most talented we’ve seen in a while, which makes it hard to pinpoint who will land where. There are many players who could be taken first overall, and none of them would be the wrong choice.
One of the best right-handed pitchers in the Draft is Kyle Wright. The 21-year-old is a junior at Vanderbilt, a college that has produced plenty of notable pitchers in the past. If he’s not the best RHP in the Draft, that title may belong to Hunter Greene, Wright is certainly the best college right-hander available.
At 6-foot-4 and 220 lbs, Wright is still growing and improving as a pitcher. His velocity sat at 87-90 mph in high school, and now he reaches 97 on the gun. Wright has the body and athleticism to add even more velocity as he develops. His fastball is complemented with a hard curveball that he uses on lefties, and a cutter against righties.
Wright has had a bit of trouble with the strike zone throughout his junior year but still has above average command on the mound. He is the type of pitcher that will do limited damage to a team if he doesn’t reach his full potential. Wright’s floor is higher than most prospects in the Draft, while his ceiling is the same way.
The Minnesota Twins have the first pick in the Draft and have shown interest in Kyle Wright. While they like Hunter Greene and Brendan McKay, Wright’s experience and dedication to pitching put him above the two. The Twins have seen top prospects not reach their full potential in the past, which is why I think they’ll go with Wright on Monday.
Wherever Kyle Wright lands, he will surely join David Price, Carson Fulmer, Mike Minor and Casey Weathers as a Vanderbilt player to be taken as a top-10 selection. The 2017 MLB Draft can be watched on MLB Network and MLB.com from Monday, June 12 to Wednesday, June 14.