The Duke baseball team may be struggling as a whole with a 19-32 record on the season, but there is no doubt the team has one bright spot--right-handed pitcher Marcus Stroman.
The 5-foot-8 junior leads the Blue Devil staff with a 2.18 ERA in 13 starts and leads Division I with 127 strikeouts.
His dominance is not going unnoticed by Major League Baseball teams, where he is expected to be a first-round pick in the draft, should he leave early. His continued success has him shooting up Keith Law's list of top 100 MLB prospects for the draft for ESPN.com, now ranking No. 17 in the nation. In previous iterations of the rankings, Stroman ranked No. 26 and 23.
Although ESPN Insider access is required to read the entire piece, here is Law's snippet on Stroman:
There is a lot of industry speculation on Stroman going in the top half of the round and reaching the majors later this year as a three-pitch reliever who'd likely be a huge fan favorite -- but I'd still love to see him get a chance to start.
Law is referring to Stroman's potential to serve as a starting pitcher and reliever in the major leagues when he is drafted. Given his small frame, many project Stroman to be a relief pitcher in his professional career, a track that would allow him to reach the majors more quickly. But, given his dominance as a starter this year, his value could be enhanced as a starting pitcher should his body be able to handle it.
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