After taking Maddux Bruns with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, the Los Angeles Dodgers did not make another selection until the third round.
That’s when the club added their second prep pitcher in Peter Heubeck with the No. 101 overall pick. It marked the first time L.A. used their first two picks on high school pitchers since drafting Zach Lee and Ralston Cash in 2010.
With only one week remaining to sign their 2021 picks, the Dodgers recently agreed to terms with Bruns on an under-slot deal. The left-hander, who verbally committed to attend Mississippi State, was confident from the start he would turn pro with the organization.
According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Dodgers have additionally locked up Heubeck by going over the slot:
Dodgers sign RHP Peter Heubeck, pick No. 101. Gilman HS (MD) was Wake Forrest commit. Gets $1,272,00, more than double slot.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 23, 2021
Meanwhile, the Dodgers reportedly went over slot to sign fourth-rounder Nick Nastrini as well, but were back under slot value to ink seventh-round selection Ryan Sublette and 18th-round draft pick Damon Keith, per Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline:
4th-rder Nick Nastrini signs w/@Dodgers for $500k (pick 131 value = $430,800). UCLA RHP, rough spring but can run fastball up to 98 mph & flash a plus changeup, average breaking stuff. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 25, 2021
18th-rder Damon Keith signs w/@Dodgers for $125k. California Baptist OF, WAC player of the year, batted .336/.434/.588, led WAC w/13 HR. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 24, 2021
7th-rder Ryan Sublette signs w/@Dodgers for $150k (pick 222 value = $194,400). Texas Tech RHP, 92-95 mph fastballs & mid-80s sliders from deceptive arm slot. 2.34 ERA, .183 opponents average, 62 K in 42.1 IP this spring. @MLBDraft
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 25, 2021
Heubeck, who had verbally committed to attend to Wake Forest, is coming off a dominant senior campaign in which he went 8-2 with a 1.20 ERA in 101 innings en route to earning 2021 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year honors.
The right-hander projects as a starter and could increase his fastball velocity with added strength and weight. His velocity currently sits in the low 90s, but he has flashed impressive spin rates and averaged 2540 rpm during the Area Code Games.
Heubeck’s curveball, meanwhile, is in the range of 78-80 mph and averaged -17.28 inches of induced vertical break.
Nastrini appeared in 12 games (seven starts) for the Bruins in his junior year, going 2-2 and averaging 13.8 strikeouts per nine innings.
Sublette, was an All-Big 12 First Team member at Texas Tech and held opponents to a .194 average this past season while posting a 3.86 ERA and 3.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Keith attended California Baptist University and was the second and final position player Los Angeles drafted this year. Keith was named Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year after starting all 56 games for the Lancers, batting .336/.434/.588.
Dodgers reportedly sign Hobbs, Lockhart
In addition to signing Bruns, Heubeck and Keith, the Dodgers also struck deals with a pair of college pitchers. They reportedly inked ninth-round pick Lael Lockhart and 10th-rounder Michael Hobbs to contracts below slot value.
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