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The Los Angeles Dodgers apparently are huge fans of the Arkansas Razorbacks baseball program.
With back-to-back picks, the Dodgers took Arkansas left-handed pitcher Zach Root and outfielder Charles Davalan at No. 40 and No. 41, respectively.
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Root and Davalan were integral members in getting the Razorbacks to the College World Series. Root was one of the team’s most prolific pitchers. Utilizing a bit of a funky release, Root obliterated hitters with a nice combination of deception and pure stuff. The left-handed hurler struck out 126 batters in only 99.2 innings pitched.
Root’s fastball sits in the mid-90s with nice run and tilt. He also utilizes a handful of breaking balls — most notably a changeup, a cutter/slider, and a very potent curveball. Most view him as a mid-tier starter at the Major League level one day.
Davalan has plenty of admirers based on how he plays. Leading off for Arkansas, the native of Montreal exploded onto the scene as a very toolsy player.
Davalan plays the game with extreme energy. It rubs off on his teammates in a very positive way, and he functioned as the tone-setter more often than not for Arkansas’ explosive offense. His bat-to-ball skills are among the best in this class. Davalan is also a plus-runner — a trend the Dodgers have valued in recent drafts given the past selections of Kellon Lindsey and Kendall George, among others.
At 5-foot-9, Davalan doesn’t necessarily profile to have a ton of pop, though it’s better than most expect it to be. More than anything, he’s a hard-nosed player that works the count well and rarely chases. Coupled with his ability to play in the outfield and as a middle infielder (second base), Davalan seems like a perfect fit for what the Dodgers look for versatility-wise.
It is fascinating to see the Dodgers opt for college players rather than ones from the high school ranks. This could signal an expectation that Root and Davalan may be ready to impact things at the big league level sooner than later. This could check out given the aging nature of the Dodgers’ outfield coupled with the injury issues in the rotation/pitching staff in general.
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Photo Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
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