Diamondbacks grab Archie Bradley with second first round pick

One year ago, when the Diamondbacks selected pitcher Barret Loux out of Texas A&M with the sixth pick in the draft, many wondered why the team reached with such an important selection.

As the months went by and Loux remained unsigned, their plan became apparent: Don’t sign Loux, instead getting a compensatory pick in the next year’s draft, which was expected to be stocked with better talent.

Monday that plan came to fruition, as Arizona picked Broken Arrow High School pitcher Archie Bradley seventh overall.

“The tools Archie Bradley brings fits with what we were looking at with the guys on the college front, and he happens to be two years younger,” Diamondbacks director of scouting Ray Montgomery said. “Bradley is big, physical, athletic and has the stuff to be in our starting rotation in the future.”

That future comes off the promise Bradley’s recent past has shown, as the right-hander posted a 12-1 record to go along with a 0.29 ERA with 137 strikeouts and just 11 walks in 71.3 innings this season.

A 6-4, 215 pounder, Bradley was named The Oklamona’s All-State Baseball Player of the Year and was a member of the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State team.

A two-sport star, Bradley has previously committed to playing quarterback at the University of Oklahoma. That, most figure, will not be a problem for the Diamondbacks.

“We’ve had good conversations with Archie and his family,” Montgomery said. “They’re receptive, they know what they want to do, so I think we’ll be fine.”

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