Indians take pitcher Alex White in first round

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Indians selected University of North Carolina junior right-handed pitcher Alex White in the first round of the Major League Baseball first-year player draft on Tuesday.

White, 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, is 8-4 with a 4.13 ERA for the Tar Heels, who’ll face Arizona State in the College World Series on Sunday.

White has 109 strikeouts in 98 innings this year, and opposing batters are hitting .234 against him. In his most recent appearance, he struck out a career-high 12 on Saturday in North Carolina’s 10-1 victory against East Carolina in the NCAA super regionals.

The Indians liked the 20-year-old White three years ago, when he was drafted in the 14th round but didn’t sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Indians project him as a bullpen pitcher.

“Alex has been one of our targets since the beginning of the season,” Indians scouting director Brad Grant said. “He’s a guy we’ve had interest in since high school.”

White is a power pitcher who has hit 96 mph on the radar gun, Grant said. He also throws an above average splitter and slider.

Depending on when White signs, Grant said, the transformation into a reliever likely will begin next year.

White was the second UNC player drafted, joining center fielder Dustin Ackley, who went to the Seattle Mariners with the second overall pick.