Fresh arm gives Kohler strong outlook

Chris Kohler was worth the wait for the A's, who took him with the 106th overall pick in the Draft.

The left-hander from Los Osos (Calif.) High School didn't pitch much growing up, saving his arm for high school and beyond. That strategy has appeared to pay off for Kohler, who has projectability, size and pitching know-how.

"We don't seem him as being inexperienced in any way when you compare him to other high school pitchers," Kubota said.

The prep lefty, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 200 pounds, has three solid pitches and a loose, easy arm. He can touch 90 mph with his fastball, but there's more in the tank, and he has a solid curveball and fairly deceptive changeup -- both of which should be at least Major League-average offerings.

"He has flashes of stuff now and we see him getting bigger and stronger as he matures," Kubota said. "He can really spin a breaking ball and he's got a really bright future ahead of him."

Kohler was named to Rawlings' 2013 third-team All-American and first-team All-Region teams after finishing the season 11-1 in 12 appearances with a 2.24 ERA.

Five of his outings were complete games, and he even proved proficient at the plate, hitting .444 in 90 at-bats during the season.

"He's got a good arm and we expect him to throw hard down the road," Kubota said. "He's what you look for in a high school pitching prospect."