Arizona Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers was asked if the team would be taking more pitchers after they had already used their first two picks on right-handers Trevor Bauer and Archie Bradley.
"We're going to take the best talent," Towers said. "It's a pitching-rich draft. I think there's still a lot of arms still up on the board...You can never have enough good pitching."
True to his word, the Diamondbacks used their 43rd overall pick on left-handed pitcher Andrew Chafin from Kent State. Chafin, a 6-2, 210-pound left-hander, went 8-1 with a 2.02 ERA and 2 complete game shutouts with 23 walks and 105 strikeouts in 14 games (12 starts) with Kent State this season.
Chafin has already done something in his career a lot of pitchers only wish for. He successfully came back from Tommy John elbow surgery. He went under the knife in 2009 and 16 months later was back on the mound. In his first game back his fastball had improved to 95 mph and he threw eight straight strikes. He finished his final year at Kent State with 105 strikeouts to only 23 walks and an ERA of 2.02.
MLB.com video recap:
For more on the 2011 MLB Draft, visit AZ Snake Pit for in-depth coverage of theArizona Diamondbacks and SB Nation's Baseball Nation for national draft coverage.