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Mike Matuella to undergo Tommy John surgery

Keith Law reports that Duke RHP Mike Matuella, previously projected to be a top 5 pick in the 2015 draft, has a torn UCL and will undergo Tommy John surgery

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Matuella, the Duke righthanded pitcher who has been viewed as a potential #1 pick the 2015 draft, has a torn UCL and will undergo Tommy John surgery, per Keith Law on Twitter.

This is just the latest blow to what was already seen as a less-than-stellar draft class.  Brady Aiken, who had also been seen as a likely top 5 pick, also had Tommy John surgery this past month.  Aiken and Matuella were seen as two of the top arms in this year's draft class.

The Rangers are picking at #4 overall in this year's draft, and the injuries to Aiken and Matuella complicate the situation in regards to what they will do with that choice.  They could view Aiken and/or Matuella as the sort of special talent that is worth taking with a premium pick even knowing that they are on the shelf until 2016 (at least) due to surgery -- particularly given that the price to sign them will presumably be lower than it was pre-surgery -- or they could feel the risk involved with taking a pitcher who just had TJ surgery is too high to risk the fourth overall pick on.