Reds begin Day 3 by taking prep lefty Boyles

The Reds started Day 3 of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft right where they left off on Day 2, selecting left-handed pitcher Ty Boyles out of Quartz Hills High School (Calif.) in the 11th round.

At 6-foot-3, 270 pounds, Boyles' size makes him stand out among high school pitchers. The imposing lefty dominated during his senior year for the Rebels, winning nine games with a 0.70 ERA. In 70 innings, he registered 120 strikeouts while allowing just 26 hits and 20 walks.

"He's a big, physical guy, which lends itself to being durable," said Chris Buckley, Reds senior director of amateur scouting. "So much of what we do in professional sports is based off your body, your size, your strength. Baseball is a really, really long season, and you have to be big and strong.

Boyles' fastball hovers in the low 90s, and he owns a curveball that he uses sparingly.

Also excelling at the plate for Quartz Hills, Boyles batted .459 (39-for-85) with 32 RBIs and eight home runs to go with four doubles and a triple this season.

In a game in late March this season, Boyles tossed a no-hitter, including 15 strikeouts, while also connecting on a three-run home run to show off his complete game.

Boyles is committed to Cal Poly San Louis Obispo, but Buckley said thinks the powerful pitcher is ready for the professional ranks.

"Our scouts on the West Coast really like him," Buckley said. "We think he has a chance to be a solid starting Major League pitcher."

In the Pipeline
Day 3 of the Draft saw the Reds once again take pitchers throughout, as they try to stock up at the position with the highest attrition rate.

But in the first few rounds of the final day of selections, Cincinnati also added two players who might have a chance to climb the organization's Minor League ranks fairly quickly. Shedric Long (12th round) out of Jacksonville (Ala.) High School and Jarrett Freeland (15th round) from Parkview (Ga.) High School were both drafted as catchers. Freeland, standing at 6-foot-6, could bounce around, though, considering his size and versatility, and Buckley said the club also likes him as a pitcher.

Of MLB.com's top 20 Reds Prospects, none are catchers. When Cincinnati needed a backstop earlier this season, they called up Corky Miller, who was signed as a free agent in 1998.

The Reds also picked up their second outfielder of the Draft in the 14th round, selecting Mater Academy Charter's (Fla.) Willie Abreu. While first-round pick Phillip Ervin is expected to remain in center field, where he'll compete with the likes of Billy Hamilton -- the Reds' No. 1 prospect -- and Ryan LaMarre, Abreu projects to be a quality corner outfielder.