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The Oakland Athletics chose Gonzaga Bulldogs starting pitcher Brandon Bailey with the 172nd overall pick in the sixth round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
Bailey had a stellar year, helping lead the Zags to their first-ever at large birth into the NCAA Baseball Championship. He earned the win in the Zags first and only win of the Tournament, a 5-1 upset over the higher-seeded Arizona State Sun Devils.
Baseball Almanac projects Bailey as having higher upside as a reliever in the major leagues, questioning whether or not he has the frame and endurance to hold up to 30 starts per year as a pro.
He has pitchability and power, sitting 90-92 mph and popping the occasional 94 to go with an above-average changeup. He spots his effective slider, which at times has bite and earns average grades.
Bailey finished the season with a 10-3 record, 100.1 innings pitched, 125 strikeouts and a 2.42 ERA. He finished sixth in the nation in strikeouts and was ranked 20th in the nation in K/9 at 11.21.
The Zags have started to consistently send products into the MLB Draft. Last season, the Los Angeles Dodgers chose Andrew Sopko in the seventh round.
Congratulations Brandon!