June 10--DETROIT -- After passing on pitching in the first day of the amateur draft, the Chicago Cubs selected three left-handers among their next eight picks Tuesday.
Bryan Hudson, a 6-foot-8 left-hander from Alton High School, was the Cubs' third round pick. Hudson was 10-2 with an 0.50 ERA and 152 strikeouts in 70 1/3 innings.
Alton coach Todd Haug told the Belleville News-Democrat that Cubs President Theo Epstein watched Hudson pitch twice this season. One time was believed to be in early May when the Cubs visited St. Louis.
Hudson signed a letter of intent to Missouri.
In the fifth round, the Cubs drafted Arizona State left-handed Ryan Kellogg, who was 9-2 with a 3.60 ERA in 16 starts this spring. Kellogg, a native of Ontario, Canada, who was drafted in the 12th round by Toronto in 2012, threw a no-hitter against Oregon State as a freshman.
Closer Tyler Peitzmeier of Cal State Fullerton was the third left-hander taken by the Cubs in the ninth round. Peitzmeier, a senior who will participate in the College World Series, had a 2.20 ERA with 16 saves and 58 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings covering 30 games for the Titans.
The Cubs also selected three senior right-handed pitchers -- record-setting senior sidearm closer Dave Berg of UCLA, Craig Brooks of Catawba College in North Carolina and Preston Morrison of Texas Christian.
Berg, a sixth-round pick, set an NCAA record by appearing in 175 games. Berg posted a 0.68 ERA with 13 saves this season.
Brooks, who was drafted in the seventh round, posted a 9-1 record with a 1.45 ERA and 158 strikeouts in 99 innings. Brooks also played shortstop and batted .300 with six home runs and 43 RBIs.
Morrison is 11-3 with a 2.55 ERA in 17 games and 113 innings for the Horned Frogs, who will advance to the CWS. Morrison pitched a 3-0 complete game win over ASU on Feb. 20 that was witnessed by Jason McLeod, the Cubs' senior vice president of scouting and player development, and several staff members.
The Cubs' fourth-round pick was left-handed hitting outfielder D.J. Wilson of Canton South High School in Ohio. The 5-foot-8 Wilson committed to Vanderbilt.
Virginia Commonwealth left-handed hitting shortstop Vimael Machin, another senior, was selected in the 10th round. Machin batted .339 with 53 RBIs.
