The 14th overall pick in the 1st round of the 2009 MLB Draft went to the Texas Rangers, and they selected Matt Purke, a left-handed pitcher from Klein High School in Texas. Purke is 6′3″ and weighs 170, so expect the trainers to get on him about building himself up and putting more muscle on his legs and core. Purke’s delivery reminds me of Randy Johnson’s. He might not have the size advantage that Johnson has, but his smaller frame also gives him greater control over his body and more consistency when he pitches. Here’s a video of him pitching in an exhibition at Wrigley Field last summer:

Tags: klein high school, matt purke, pitcher, scouting report, texas rangers

Ranger slugger Josh Hamilton might be on the DL until the end of July according to reports on Tuesday morning. He has a torn abdominal muscle, which is probably not something we’d want him to play through. I’ve heard power hitters prefer to have a strong core. This injury stems from that awesome catch he made on May 17 where he crashed into the wall. In hindsight, it would have been better if he’d just pulled up and played the ball off the wall, rather than himself. Look for Marlon Byrd and Andruw Jones to fill in at center field.

Tags: andruw jones, josh hamilton, marlon byrd, texas rangers