D-backs scouting director was ‘sweating out’ draft’s first round

PHOENIX — The Diamondbacks had to wait more than three hours before selecting Auburn outfielder Anfernee Grier 39th overall with their first pick in the MLB Draft on Thursday. It was unfamiliar territory for Diamondbacks second-year scouting director Deric Ladnier.

“It’s the first time in my career I’ve ever picked so late,” he said. “I think the last time I was that stressed was when we were picking Zack Greinke with the Kansas City Royals.”

It was the Diamondbacks’ free-agent signing of Greinke this past offseason that actually led to the long wait. Arizona had to forfeit its 13th overall pick in accordance with MLB’s competitive balance clause after the team signed Greinke to a six-year deal in December.

Despite what Ladnier called “sweating it out,” he felt confident the organization had picked the right players Thursday as the night came to a close after the team chose high school catcher Andrew Yerzy out of Toronto with the 52nd overall pick. It was the first time since 2012 that the Diamondbacks didn’t take a pitcher with either of their first two selections.

“We were just trying to take the best players, and those were the two guys that were left on our board after all the selections,” Ladnier said. “If it was a bat so be it, if it was a pitcher so be it, but in this instance it happened to be two bats with tremendous upside.”

Ladnier described Grier as the more major league ready of the two selections. The 20-year-old has spent the last two seasons at Auburn terrorizing opposing pitchers in the SEC. He finished last season third in the conference with 12 home runs, led the Tigers with a .323 average and was named to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.

The junior flew across the country from Alabama to work out with the Diamondbacks before the draft. It wasn’t a new process for Grier, who was initially drafted out of high school by the Detroit Tigers in 2013.

Although he didn’t know where he was going until he saw the selection live on television, Grier said he felt relieved to end up with the D-backs.

“I got to speak with a couple of the guys last week,” he said. “I was just happy for them to pick me.”

Grier acknowledged there were some tense moments before he was selected.

“The anticipation was high, the nerves were high, but it was worth it,” he added.

Yerzy signed to play college baseball at Notre Dame out of York Mills Collegiate Institute. He caught the eye of D-backs’ scouts during a predraft workout at Chase Field last week. Ladnier said Yerzy showed off strength that rivals any he’s ever seen from a prospect.

Yerzy had a good workout day in AZ. Here with Dad. Photo cred to mom! pic.twitter.com/lEWS9GOeKb

— Toronto Mets (@TorontoMets) June 10, 2016

“It is enormous power,” he said. “For a 17-year-old kid to walk into a stadium and put balls in the upper deck is pretty amazing, and he did that consistently during our workout.”

The lefty power hitter had previously been evaluated by the Diamondbacks during scouting trips to Canada and south Florida. Ladnier said that Yerzy’s skills with the bat are more advanced than those behind the plate, but he said the organization plans to develop him as a catcher.