Indians select Justus Sheffield with 31st pick in MLB Draft

The Cleveland Indians selected high-school left-hander Justus Sheffield with the 31st pick of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, the club's second selection in the first round.

Sheffield, who is committed to Vanderbilt University, was named Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year after his sensational performance with Tullahoma High School in 2014. The 5-foot-11 southpaw authored a tidy 0.34 ERA with 131 strikeouts over 61 2/3 innings this season, leading the Wildcats (24-15) to the sectional round of the Class AAA state tournament.

The Indians received a compensatory pick for losing right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, who signed with the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent this offseason.

Sheffield's brother, Jordan, was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2013, but opted to attend Vanderbilt instead.