Royals Able To Grab Rising Puckett

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Royals scouting director Lonnie Goldberg said Pepperdine righthander A.J. Puckett did not enter the season “with much helium,” but that suddenly changed.

Puckett went 7-5, 4.38 in a pedestrian sophomore season, but as a junior he put together a 45 2/3 scoreless-inning streak, the third longest in NCAA history. He went 57 1/3 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. He started eight games where he did not permit an earned run.

Puckett’s name abruptly began climbing on draft boards. The Royals picked him in the second round, No. 67 overall, with their only pick on the first day of the draft Thursday.

“We were sweating it out on whether he would get to us,” Goldberg said. “We were just waiting it out. We were very happy he was there. It was a good night for us.”

It was the first time since 1990 the Royals did not have a first-round pick. They forfeited their first-round pick when they signed free agent righthander Ian Kennedy.

Puckett, who is listed at 6-4, 200 pounds, finished his junior season 9-3, 1.27, with a 0.92 WHIP and held opponents to a .191 batting average. He struck out 95 and walked 26 in 99 innings, was named the West Coast Conference pitcher of the year and a first-team All-America selection.

“He’s very athletic, fields his position well, he throws a ton of strikes, throws to all the quadrants, has a really good pickoff move, has pitch-ability,” Goldberg said. “He really fits into what we look for.”

Goldberg said Puckett has a 90-95 mph fastball, with a quality changeup, a good curveball and “his slider is coming.”

“While he didn’t throw a lot of sliders in college, our scouts believe it will be another weapon for him,” Goldberg said. “He’s a four-pitch guy.”

The Athletics, Puckett’s favorite team growing up, picked him in the 35th round out of Concord (Calif.) De La Salle High, but he did not sign, opting instead to go to Pepperdine.

In high school Puckett suffered serious head trauma in an accident while fooling around with friends in the back of a car. He has metal plates inserted into his skull and was placed in a medically-induced coma for two weeks to prevent blood loss.

“I talked to him briefly about it,” Goldberg said.

Goldberg said Puckett is capable of beginning his pro career at High-A Wilmington in the Carolina League and could move quickly through the organization.

“He’s able to slow the game down,” Goldberg said.

ROYALTIES

• Righthander Kyle Zimmer is back on the disabled list with shoulder fatigue. Zimmer, the fifth overall selection in the 2012 draft, has been besieged with numerous injuries and pitched only 5 2/3 innings this year.

• Lexington catcher Chase Vallot, the 40th overall selection in the 2014 draft, was selected to the South Atlantic League all-star game. He has a home run every 17.75 at bats, the best home run ratio in the SAL.