[ayaghmour2]

2nd Round, 21st Overall: RHP Johnny Kern
School: Phillipsburg Stateliners
1963: 10-0, 106.2 IP, 1.01 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 16 BB, 151 K
Career: 10-0, 106.2 IP, 1.01 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 16 BB, 151 K

I hate that I doubled up on pitchers, but(ts) the guy I wanted went right before my pick, and there really were no other bats worth grabbing here. Sure, part of me regrets passing on a few hitters that I hope will be there at 3, but the pitchers available are just so much better, and our system is thin on the mound, so it might be for the best. Especially since Dixie Marsh thinks we were able to snag two of his top sixteen prospects.

Back to the prep arms we went, as I took the few weeks from 18-year-old Johnny Kern. A Jersey native, he came out of nowhere as a senior, going 10-0 with a 1.01 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, and 151 strikeouts, starting all 14 of his appearances. A different type of pitcher then Hub, Kern is a control freak, projected to operate with pinpoint command. He's got a four pitch mix too, using a fastball, slider, change, and cut, but his stuff isn't what I typically look for when drafting. That's not to say he doesn't have good stuff, it's at least average, but he sits in the 86-88 range and won't ever overpower anyone. Of course, the mentioned command is far more important, as there are plenty of pitchers who have the filthiest stuff in the world, but it doesn't matter because they can't hit the broad side of a barn. Kern instead prefers to flaunt his command, effortlessly locating pitch after pitch where his catcher wants it.

Aside from the command, there's a lot to like about Kern, who's one of the more advanced high school pitchers. Even moreso then Hub. He's also able to pitch far deeper into games, and while not quite a Ken Stone, he's at worst a Dick Champ. Pitch counts over 100 shouldn't be an issue, but with the command he generally keeps those under control. This has got me dreaming of a lot of complete game wins, as he attacks pitchers to get quick outs. With 2s across the board and a 3 for pBABIP, he's already half way to being decent, and OSA thinks he's one of the many pitchers in the draft with frontline potential. I think that's a bit too presumptuous, all the likely aces have been snapped up, but he's somewhere between that and the middle rotation label Dixie gives him. With his command, I think he's a really good #2, and he's a prime candidate for the dev lab. Improving his secondary pitches will be critical, as while the change and cut should be above average offerings, I'm less sold on his fastball and slider. Not the brightest bulb, he makes up for it with his work ethic, and I'm hopeful he'll start his pro career inside the top-150, maybe even the back half of the top-100. Even if I really wanted the rangey John Butts, I'm psyched to have gotten a pair of top-notch arms, quickly restocking an area of weakness with him, Hub, Jim Place, and Whitey Gates, likely our top four pitching prospects once the draft ends.