Reds choose pitcher, versatile infielder in MLB draft first round
The Reds took two college players in the first 29 picks of Thursday's MLB First Year Player Draft, right-hander Nick Howard from Virginia at No. 19 overall and shortstop Alex Blandino of Stanford at No. 29 overall.
The Reds took third baseman Taylor Sparks of UC Irvine in the second round.
Howard and Blandino have similar backgrounds to current Reds players -- like Tony Cingrani and Michael Lorenzen before him, Howard is a closer that the team will try as a starter. Blandino is a shortstop, but can play many other positions, similar to Todd Frazier.
"The one thing I like about both of them, they're still playing, that means they're part of winning programs," said Chris Buckley, the Reds' scouting director. "They're good make-up guys, both go to outstanding schools, both are outstanding students. Alex is very versatile, we've seen him play short, we've seen him play third, we've seen him play second -- we think he's a good hitter. We're going to give him a chance to play shortstop."
Reds draft pick profile:Virginia pitcher Nick Howard
Reds draft pick profile:Stanford 3B/SS Alex Blandino
Reds draft pick profile:UC Irvine 3B Taylor Sparks
Howard's Virginia team plays Maryland in an NCAA Super Regional this weekend, while Blandino and the Cardinal face Vanderbilt in Nashville, starting Friday.
As soon as the Cavaliers have finished their season, Howard said he wants to officially be a Red.
"As soon as I'm done with my collegiate season, I want to go out there and start as soon as possible and get my feet wet," Howard said. "It's always been my dream, so I don't understand waiting, I just want to get out there and get started."
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Howard is 2-1 with a 2.15 ERA for the Cavaliers this year, recording 19 saves. In 29 1/3 innings pitched, he's struck out 50 and walked 12. He also plays third base, hitting .261/.314/.333 with one homer and 20 RBI. He's a career .303 hitter at Virginia.
Howard will start his career with the Reds as a starter, Buckley said.
"We've seen him do both, we think he can start," Buckley said.
"He fits into all the things we like, he's an athletic pitcher, big, strong guy with really good stuff."
That's fine by Howard, 21.
"I'm open to whatever the organization wants me to do, as long as I'm out there pitching, it doesn't effect my mindset," Howard said. "I've been closing this spring, but up until that point I've been a starter. My sophomore year I started and I started in the Cape Cod League. Whatever they want me to do, I've been accustomed to do it before and I can't wait to get started."
Howard's seen an uptick in his velocity since moving to the bullpen, pitching in the mid-90s as a starter, but touching 98 as a reliever. A big part of that is moving to the bullpen, he said, but he's also changed his mechanics some.
"Just physically developing strength in the offseason and the nature of being a reliever contributes to my velocity picking up," Howard said. "I know going in there I'm only going to have to throw one or two innings, so I think that definitely as well. My mechanics, as well, I've worked on some things in the summer and using my legs more to start gaining some velocity."
Blandino's hitting .312/.399/.540 with 12 home runs and 42 RBI for Stanford this season. He's the team's starter at third base, but has also played shortstop and second base.
"I grew up my whole life playing short, that was my first and only position growing up," Blandino said. "At college I was at third, but I'm really excited to go to short and show what I can do there. I'm really excited about that opportunity and ready to get after it as soon as the college season's over. I'm really trying to make a push to Omaha here, and we're two wins away."
The Reds had the 29th pick as compensation for outfielder Shin-Soo Choo signing with the Rangers as a free agent this past offseason.
Blandino said right after he was drafted, his father, Tomas, told him that the first major league game he ever watched growing up in Nicaragua was a Reds game during the Big Red Machine era.
"I thought it was a cool story that I didn't know until today," Blandino said. "He said the Big Red Machine was one of his favorite teams because it was his first experience watching baseball."
In the second round, the Reds took another player who is still playing in the NCAA tournament -- UC Irvine third baseman Taylor Sparks. Sparks is hitting .297/.383/.491 with five home runs and 34 RBI for the Anteaters, who start their Super Regional at Oklahoma State on Friday.
The draft continues on Friday with rounds three through 10, and finishes with rounds 11-40 on Saturday.