When Florida pitcher A.J. Puk travels more than 2,700 miles to start his new job next year, there will be at least one familiar face.
Puk was selected No. 6 overall by the Oakland Athletics in the MLB Draft on Thursday, joining ex-teammate and shortstop Richie Martin, who was selected by Oakland with the 20th pick in the 2015 draft.
Puk, a 6-foot-7 left-hander, was the third pitcher taken in the draft. He mainly served as Florida’s Saturday starter over the last two seasons, helping to anchor a pitching staff that has the nation’s fifth-best ERA (2.00).
The junior has held opponents to a .195 batting average this year, good for second in the SEC, and ranks third in hits allowed (50).
Even though Puk is second on UF with 95 strikeouts, he owns just a 2-3 record and a 3.21 ERA on the season. Baseball experts believe Puk has the potential to turn into a dominant pitcher at the professional level because of his size and arm strength.
Here's what baseball analysts said about Puk after he was selected on the MLB Network's telecast of the draft:
MLB Network analyst Pedro Martinez:
"I love everything about him. I think his 94 to 96 mph fastball is a plus for his age, for his body. It's a body that's reaching maturity. He's still kind of raw, but a very bright future for this kid. This kid has no ceiling. And coming from the left side, expect great things out of this kid."
MLB Network analyst Dan O'Dowd:
"He gets great extension out front on his fastball. Tremendous carry through the zone. I do think he's gonna need a changeup. I think his command and control, he walks some guys in college now. But this is a legitimate, big-time arm. I think it's a fresh arm. This is a kid from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, certainly he's gone to the University of Florida, but I think there's more ceiling in this player."
Contact Ian Cohen at icohen@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @icohenb
A.J. Puk pitches during Florida's 7-2 loss to Miami on Feb. 21, 2015, at McKethan Stadium.
