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Yankees Make Most Of Wait, Draft Lefty Strikeout Machine Lindgren

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The New York Yankees waited and waited, watching 54 picks come off the board in Thursday night's draft.

When their time finally came at No. 55 in the second round, the Bombers decided on Mississippi State reliever Jacob Lindgren. Yankees director of amateur scouting Damon Oppenheimer said they picked a kid who has "exceptional strikeout numbers."

Exceptional indeed. The left-handed Lindgren racked up a whopping 100 strikeouts to 25 walks in 55.1 innings (26 appearances) this season, going 6-1 with a 0.81 ERA.

"We are very happy to have selected him," Oppenheimer said, according to the Yankees' official website.

The 21-year-old has a late-breaking slider, a changeup and a fastball in the low- to mid-90s.

"Jacob has two major league pitches that are above average and possess swing-and-miss quality," said Oppenheimer. "He has been extended for multiple innings and holds his stuff consistently."

Lindgren said he was "humbled and grateful" to land in New York.

"This is an incredible feeling and a day I will remember for the rest of my life," he said. "I would like to thank Mississippi State University, my coaches, teammates and the greatest fans in college baseball for helping me reach this point."

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