D-backs select Liam Norris, AJ Vukovich, and Brandon Pfaadt on second day of Major League Baseball's 2020 First-Year Player Draft

The Arizona Diamondbacks selected LHP Liam Norris (@L_Norris14) with their third-round pick, INF AJ Vukovich (@aj_vukovich) with their fourth-round pick and RHP Brandon Pfaadt (@Bpfaadt27) with their fifth-round pick on the second day of the 2020 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. Yesterday, the D-backs selected RHP Bryce Jarvis (@BryceJarvis28) with the 18th overall selection and RHP Slade Cecconi (@slade_cecconi) with their Competitive Balance A pick (No. 33). The D-backs completed their draft with 4 pitchers and 1 infielder and 3 college players and 2 high school players.

Liam Norris (Round 3; No. 90)

LHP │ B/T: L/L │ Age: 18 (Aug. 13, 2001) │ 6-4, 215│ Green Hope (Cary, NC) High School

• Went 14-8 with a 1.84 ERA (37 ER in 141.0 IP), .167 opponent average and 237 strikeouts (15.13 K/9.0 IP) in 23 appearances (2 starts) at Green Hope High School (2016-20).
• As a senior in 2020, made 1 appearance and got the win with 5.0 scoreless innings and 13 strikeouts (0 H, 0 BB).
• As a junior in 2019, made 10 appearances and went 5-1 with a 1.35 ERA (8 ER in 41.1 IP), .135 opponent average and 77 strikeouts (16.77 K/9.0 IP).
• As a sophomore in 2018, made 10 appearances, going 4-2 with a 1.49 ERA (10 ER in 74.0 IP), .135 opponent average and 80 strikeouts (9.73 K/9.0 IP).
• As a freshman in 2017, made 11 appearances and went 4-5 with a 2.79 ERA (19 ER in 47.2 IP), .222 opponent average and 67 strikeouts (12.65 K/9.0 IP).
• Participated in MLB’s 2019 Prospect Development Pipeline.
• Participated in the Perfect Game National Showcase in 2019 and the Junior National Showcase in 2018.
• 2-time (2018, ’19) Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All American.
• Member of USA Baseball’s 17U National Team Development Program.
• Committed to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill…his mother attended UNC.

AJ Vukovich (Round 4; No. 119)

INF │ B/T: R/R │ Age: 18 (July 20, 2001) │ 6-5, 210 │ East Troy (Wis.) High School

• Rated by Baseball America as the fifth-best power prospect among the 2020 high school draft class.
• Did not play on East Troy High School’s baseball team.
• Played for Hitters Baseball Academy, a travel team based in Racine, Wis….notable alumni include top prospects Gavin Lux (Dodgers) and Jarred Kelenic (Mariners).
• Hit .453 (29-for-64) with 6 doubles, 1 triple and 5 home runs in 23 games in 2019 with Hitters Baseball Academy…did not play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Finished second at Major League Baseball’s 2019 High School Home Run Derby @ Progressive Field.
• Was a member of USA Baseball’s 18U Team in 2019 that won a silver medal at the 18U Baseball World Cup in Gijang, South Korea.
• Participated in the 2019 Perfect Game All-American Classic @ Petco Park.
• Was a finalist for Wisconsin’s Mr. Basketball as a senior, averaging 27.9 points per game, and set the school’s all-time scoring record.
• Committed to play baseball at the University of Louisville.

Brandon Pfaadt (Round 5; No. 149)

RHP │ B/T: R/R │ Age: 21 (Oct. 15, 1998) │ 6-4, 220 │ Bellarmine University

• Last name pronounced “fought”.
• In 3 seasons (2018-20) at Bellarmine University, made 39 appearances (13 starts) and went 10-8 with a 4.27 ERA (53 ER in 111.2 IP), .245 opponent average, 33 walks and 135 strikeouts (10.88 K/9.0 IP).
• Made 2 postseason appearances (7.0 IP, 3H, 1 R, 2 BB, 13 K) between the 2018-19 NCAA Midwest Regionals.
• In an abbreviated junior season in 2020, made 5 starts and went 3-1 with a 1.38 ERA (4 ER in 26.0 IP), .189 opponent average, 4 walks and 27 strikeouts.
• As a sophomore in 2019, made 22 appearances (2 starts) and had 50 strikeouts in 38.0 innings (11.84 K/9.0 IP).
• Earned Perfect Game’s “Outstanding Pitching Performances” honors in the 2019 Cape Cod League…in 9 games (2 starts), went 2-1 with 1 save, a 2.81 ERA (10 ER in 32.0 IP), .171 opponent average, 8 walks and 34 strikeouts.
• Graduate of Trinity (Ky.) High School.