MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins took another pitcher with their second-round pick, drafting LSU right-hander Ryan Eades with the 43rd overall pick.
Eades was 8-1 with a 2.81 ERA in 16 starts for LSU this season. He struck out 77 batters and walked 30 in 96 innings. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Eades was originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 19th round in 2010 before going on to play college ball.
The 21-year-old Eades had labrum surgery during his senior year of high school but bounced back to become the Cape Cod Pitcher of the Year in 2011 when he was 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA in 32 1/3 innings. His fastball reaches 96 mph and he also has a changeup and curveball in his arsenal.
Minnesota scouting director Deron Johnson said the Twins aren't worried about Eades' durability or his past surgery.
"We aren't afraid of that," Johnson said. "He's had a pretty good workload this year, and he's held up. We'll definitely monitor him this weekend in regionals."
Eades' father, Ned, who passed away in 2004, played briefly in the Cincinnati Reds' organization as a catcher from 1967-68. Before they took Eades with the 43rd pick, the Twins selected right-hander Kohl Stewart, a high school pitcher from Texas, with the No. 4 overall pick. This marks the first time since 2009 that Minnesota drafted pitchers with their first two picks.
The Twins needed to add starting pitching depth, and they did so by selecting Stewart and Eades.
"Our philosophy is to select the best player available on the board," Johnson said. "Eades was the best player in that particular round. And we got starting pitching, which is good. We definitely need starting pitching in this organization."
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