Major League Baseball

D-backs scouting director Ladnier focused on drafting 'winners'

Published Jun. 12, 2015 5:44 p.m. ET

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D-backs blog AZ Snake Pit recently interviewed the team's scouting director Deric Ladnier regarding the recent 2015 MLB Draft. One of the themes was Ladnier’s desire to choose players who he considers to be winners. Ladnier said:

“I truly believe that a winning player and a winning attitude is going to allow that player to create the same culture that we want to have in building a championship club.”

How does one determine who is a winner? AZ Snake Pit notes that many of the draftees were part of conference championship teams, All-Stars and All-Conference players. According to Ladnier:

“it's just one of those things where, when you're drafting a player that has been a winner, that then continues to be a winner, because they've got those character traits.”

Dansby Swanson, the D-backs first round pick and No. 1 overall selection, certainly fits this mold as the Most Outstanding Player in the 2015 College World Series as a member of Vanderbilt’s championship team.

You might say that Ladnier has a track record of drafting winners. Formerly of the Royals, he was responsible for drafting many of the players who led them to the World Series last year including Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer, Greg Holland, Billy Butler and Mike Moustakas.

(h/t AZ Snake Pit)

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