Read my first MLB Draft feature story on prep right-handed pitcher Brad Dobzanski here.
New Jersey prep right-handed pitcher Brad Dobzanski has dealt with MLB First-Year Player Draft attention all spring. It’s an exciting and rewarding experience for Dobzanski, after he flew under the radar for his first three years of high school.
Dobzanski wasn’t overwhelmed with college or professional attention until last summer when he participated in showcase events.
“It happened really quick,” Dobzanski said. “The end of last season I didn’t really have much going for me. I thought I was pretty good, but didn’t have that exposure I need.
“Coming into last summer, I didn’t really know what I was getting into with the colleges and pro scouts. But after all of that, it’s been a fun experience, and I’m looking forward to the next couple of months.”
Baseball America ranks Dobzanski as the 93rd-best prospect in the MLB Draft, which begins on June 12.
“Definitely excited about it,” said Dobzanski about the MLB Draft. “Me and my advisor will sit down a few times and discuss what I’m going to ask for (a signing bonus) for the draft. From there, just see how it plays out.”
Dobzanski isn’t a stranger to the MLB Draft process. His older brother, Bryan Dobzanski, was a 29th-round-pick by the St. Louis Cardinals out of high school in 2014.
Bryan planned on attending the University of Louisville as a student-athlete until the Cardinals offered him a $700,000 signing bonus.
“Having him and living with him, it’s always good to get his insight on what I should be doing and how I should approach the game,” said Brad Dobzanski about his older brother.
A 6-foot-3, 195-pound right-hander, Dobzanski has a cross body delivery, making it sometimes challenging for hitters to recognize the ball out of his hand. He throws a low-90s four-seam fastball with late movement, a 12-6 curveball, a slider and a changeup.
If the draft doesn’t work out in Dobzanski’s favor, he’ll attend the University of Kentucky in the fall, where he’ll play baseball for the Wildcats.
“It’s a great opportunity I have,” said Dobzanski about Kentucky. “That is something I know I have in my back pocket just in case the draft doesn’t work out. Either way I’m going to be excited where baseball takes me in these next couple of months.”
Find more MLB Draft coverage here.
