Dodger Thoughts

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55 | Overall: 55

One of three potential first-round picks from Vanderbilt, Buehler had an exceptional summer, sharing playoff MVP honors in the Cape Cod League and pitching well with the U.S. collegiate national team after helping the Commodores win the College World Series. He missed the first two weeks of the 2015 season with elbow soreness but bounced back after that.

Buehler has a deep repertoire featuring four potential solid-or-better big league pitches and the ability to throw all of them for strikes. His best offering is his 90-96 mph fastball, and while he sometimes gets caught in between his curveball and slider, both can be weapons. His changeup similarly varies from inconsistent to effective.

Buehler could have been a draft pick in the top two rounds out of a Kentucky high school in 2012 had he been signable away from Vanderbilt. The biggest knock on him is that he’s just 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, but he had been durable prior to this spring. His athleticism and sound delivery should allow him to remain a starter.

And here’s Baseball America’s take:

Buehler had a busy summer last year. After helping Vanderbilt win its first-ever national championship, he pitched briefly for Team USA and was then named co-MVP of the playoffs in the Cape Cod League, as he helped Yarmouth-Dennis to the championship. His start to his junior season at Vanderbilt was delayed by elbow soreness, but he’s pitched well since rejoining the Commodores rotation. At his best, Buehler has four above-average offerings. He throws his fastball in the low to mid 90s, though it doesn’t have a ton of life. That, in addition to his clean arm action, allows him to pound the strike zone, but also makes it a bit easier for hitters to square the pitch up if he misses in the zone. His curveball and slider both show promise and he has a good feel for spinning the baseball, but they run together at times. He gets good fading action on his changeup. Though at a listed 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, Buehler is taller than teammate Carson Fulmer, he isn’t very physical and also lacks ideal size for a righthander. Scouts have more confidence that Buehler will be able to remain in the rotation, however, thanks to his deep arsenal, athleticism and more polished delivery.

Buehler has already pitched at Dodger Stadium. He started in the Dodger Stadium College Baseball Classic against Texas Christian on March 8, allowing one run on three hits with five strikeouts over four innings.

Buehler’s Twitter handle is, wonderfully, @buehlersdayoff. Fellow Vanderbilt pitcher David Price was taken out of high school by the Dodgers in the 2004 draft, but chose to go to college.