Dodgers take Vanderbilt pitcher Jordan Sheffield with 36th overall pick.

The Dodgers selected Jordan Sheffield, a right-handed pitcher from Vanderbilt, with the 36th overall pick in the draft.

Sheffield was drafted out of the 13th round of the 2013 draft out of high school but opted to attend college instead. He ultimately redshirted his freshman year because he had Tommy John surgery.

Here’s what MLB.com wrote about Sheffield:

His brother Justus was a first-round pick of the Indians in 2014, and Sheffield looked like he’d go that early the year before until he had Tommy John surgery. The Red Sox made a strong run at him after selecting him in the 13th round, but he turned them down to attend Vanderbilt, where he redshirted in 2014. Sheffield returned last year to play a key swingman role as the Commodores finished second at the College World Series, then he showed the best pure stuff in the Cape Cod League during the summer.

Of all the pitching prospects in the 2016 Draft, Sheffield may have the best chance to develop three plus offerings. His fastball can sit at 94-96 mph and reach 98, and he has maintained his velocity in the late innings of his starts. Both Sheffield’s hard three-quarters breaking ball (which is more likely to become a slider than a curveball) and his circle changeup can be out pitches at times, helping him challenge for the Southeastern Conference strikeout lead while fashioning a 32-inning streak without allowing an earned run this spring.

All that said, Sheffield does come with concerns. His combination of explosive stuff and small stature draws Tom Gordon and Marcus Stroman comparisons, but his size and his medical history lead to concerns about his durability as a starter. So does the effort in Sheffield’s delivery, as he often overthrows and has yet to prove he can find the strike zone on a consistent basis.

Sheffield is the nephew of former Dodgers outfielder Gary Sheffield. He was college teammates with Walker Buehler, whom the Dodgers drafted in the first round a year ago.

The 36th pick belonged to the Dodgers as compensation for not signing Kyle Funkhouser last year. They have already drafted two other players today: a high school shortstop from Wisconsin, Gavin Lux, and a college catcher from Louisville, Will Smith.

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About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.