Matt Sauer, a right-handed power pitcher from Righetti High, was picked by the New York Yankees in the second round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Monday.
Sauer was the 54th overall pick. According to major league baseball, the value of the No. 54 pick is $1.23 million. The Yankees reportedly have offered Sauer more than twice that figure.
Sauer is expected for forgo a scholarship at the University of Arizona and sign with the Yankees.
Cal Poly right-hander and Templeton High alum Spencer Howard was taken by the Philadelphia Phillies in the second round, the 44th pick overall.
Howard, a sophomore, emerged as a standout starter after beginning the season as a reliever. He struck 97 batters and posted a 1.95 ERA through 87.2 innings. His fastball has been clocked in the mid-90s.
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Sauer had a brilliant senior season at Righetti, leading the Warriors to the CIF-SS Division 3 championship game. He had 9-1 record with 142 strikeouts in 78.1 innings and an ERA of 0.98.
In his last three years on the varsity, he won 25 games, struck out 324 in 222.1 innings and had a ERA of 1.35.
“Sauer is a projectable high school right-hander who is athletic, with a ‘now’ fastball and a plus slider,” said Damon Oppenheimer, Yankees Vice President of Domestic Amateur Scouting. “He really has a good way about his aggressiveness and makeup on the mound. We see a chance there for a starter with power stuff.”
This is the second straight year a high school pitcher from the county has been taking in the second round of the Major League Draft.
Santa Barbara High right-hander Kevin Gowdy was taken by the Philadelphia Phillies as the 42nd pick overall last June. His signing bonus was $3.5 million.
Sauer is Righetti’s second highest pick in the major league draft. Robin Ventura, after playing collegiately at Oklahoma State, was the 10th pick overall pick by the Chicago White Sox in 1988. He played for the Yankees in 2002 and 2003.
— Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk Sports on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.