Tyler Anderson
LHP / University of Oregon

Bats-Throws: L-L
Height/Weight: 6-4/215
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nev.
Previously Drafted: Twins ’08 (50)
Birthdate: Dec. 30, 1989

SCOUTING PROFILE: The University of Oregon reinstated baseball in 2009 after a 29-year absence, and Anderson, an unheralded 50th-round draft pick in 2008 out of a Las Vegas high school, has quietly emerged as the prized recruit in the school’s first class. He was the Ducks’ Friday-night starter from the get-go, and even though he struggled with the responsibility and went just 2-9, 6.26, his upside potential was obvious even then. Just two years later, he has positioned himself as a legitimate first-round pick for the 2011 draft. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Anderson has combined a solid four-pitch mix with a very deceptive delivery, crafty approach and unflappable mound presence to become one of the elite college lefthanders in the country. In a normal draft year, he might be in contention to be the first college lefty taken, but he has been overshadowed much of the season by the likes of Virginia’s Danny Hultzen, Georgia Tech’s Jed Bradley and Texas Christian’s Matthew Purke. The Pacific Northwest is unusually deep in college lefthanders itself with Gonzaga’s Ryan Carpenter, Washington State’s Adam Conley and Oregon State’s Josh Osich all commanding first-round attention from scouts at various times this spring, along with Anderson, but only Anderson has solidified his position in that round. He may actually be the softest thrower of that quartet, but more than makes up for any shortfall in velocity with his advanced sense of pitchability and instinctive feel for his craft. Anderson has excellent command of both his four-seam fastball, which normally sits in the 90-92 mph range, bumps 93 and will occasionally reach 95 when he needs to rear back for a little extra; and his two-seamer with its impressive cutting action. He also locates his curve and slider (depending on which one he features in a given outing), and changeup with uncanny accuracy. Most often, he will pitch off his fastball. Anderson’s poised, polished approach to pitching enabled him to rebound quickly from his struggles as a freshman, and he went a more-respectable 7-5, 2.98 with 33 walks and an Oregon school-record 105 strikeouts in 103 innings as a sophomore. He has continued to build on that performance as a junior, fashioning a 7-3, 2.24 record with 33 walks and 104 strikeouts in 100 innings. With one regular-season start remaining, he is certain to surpass his own single-season strikeout record and improve on his career-leading total. Though Oregon, in just its third year back, held out high hopes for the 2011 season and subsequently vastly underachieved with a 30-26 record overall (8-16 in the Pac-10), Anderson has more than held up his end of the deal, and should be justly rewarded in the draft.

Projected Draft Position: First round / top 15-20 picks.

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