Drafted in the 9th round (289th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2010 (signed for $40,000).
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After leading USA Baseball's college team with a 0.00 ERA in 2008, lefthander Tyler Lyons had a chance to go in the first round of the 2009 draft. His stuff was down for most of his junior season, picked back up in the NCAA playoffs and the Cape Cod League, but dipped again this spring. Lyons pitched at 87-90 mph as a sophomore and added velocity coming out of the Team USA bullpen, but now he rarely tops 88. His curveball also has regressed, leaving his changeup as his best pitch. He still throws strikes, but he got pounded to the tune of a 3-6, 6.06 record this spring. The 6-foot-2, 207-pounder now projects as a middle reliever, though moving back to the bullpen could restore zip to this fastball. Though he had a good summer on the Cape last year, the Yankees didn't make him an offer after drafting him in the 10th round.
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