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Dodgers take Stanford closer with first-round pick

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Surprise, surprise, the Dodgers drafted a pitcher with their first-round pick Monday in the major league amateur draft.

They selected Stanford junior closer Chris Reed, a left-hander from Reseda’s Cleveland High.

The Dodgers selected the 6-foot-4, 190-pound Reed with the 16th overall selection, significantly hirer than anyone had Reed on their mock drafts.

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This was, naturally, immediately attributed to the Dodgers’ shaky financial situation.

MLB writer Jonathan Mayo told MLB.TV that the Dodgers wanted a player who would fit the recommended signing bonus for a 16th pick. Mayo called Reed ‘a little bit of a reach’ but a player they should be able to sign.

Reed is 6-2 with nine saves for Stanford this season, striking out 48 and walking 15 in 49-2/3 innings.

He reportedly throws an excellent changeup to go along with a fastball and slider. Scouts still think he may be a starter in professional ball.

Reed did not appear in the first-round mock drafts at Sports Illustrated, Baseball Prospectus, Scout.com or FanGraphs, though he was slotted to 26th by ESPN (Insider status required).

Last year the Dodgers used a different approach. They drafted right-hander Zach Lee with the 28th pick, but signed him for $5.25 million over five years. Lee was committed to play quarterback at Louisiana State but the Dodgers went well over the allotted amount for a 28th pick to sign him.

With their last six first picks in the last five years they have selected a pitcher.

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-- Steve Dilbeck

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