Drafted in the 7th round (216th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2003 (signed for $88,000).
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RHP Dusty Glant has been clocked as high as 95 mph this spring after topping out at 91 last fall. He pitches in the 88-92 range with sinking action. He throws a slurvy breaking ball that is considered fringe-average at best, and his cut change is an effective pitch with slider action. He works with a clean delivery and good command. He has logged 50 innings out of the bullpen during his career at Purdue, limiting scouts' chances to see him. Clubs drafting with performance as a priority aren't likely to tab Glant, who posted an 8.88 ERA as a sophomore and had two disastrous outings inflate his 2003 ERA, though he still could go off the board by the 10th round.
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Unlike many teams, the Diamondbacks have put late-inning relief prospects into those roles in the minors rather than keeping them in the rotation to get more innings and work on more pitches. The approach has paid off with pitchers such as Byung-Hyun Kim, Mike Koplove, Bret Prinz, Jose Valverde and Oscar Villarreal. Brian Bruney and Brandon Medders are on the verge of the majors. Glant is the best of the closers lower in the system, a group that also includes Pete Sikaras (23 saves at Lancaster) and Matt Wilkinson (30 at South Bend). Glant didn't get much exposure as a closer for a mediocre Purdue team last spring, so Arizona was able to get him in the seventh round. He led the Northwest League with 18 saves, breaking lots of bats with a 90-94 mph fastball with great sinking life similar to Brandon Webb's. Glant also uses an 80-82 mph power slider and a cut changeup. He has a closer's mentality and throws so many strikes that the ninth inning is pretty automatic for him. He'll hop on the fast track to the majors in low Class A this year, with a mid-season jump possible.
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