MLB 2020 Draft

[Brownie19]

I definitely prefer drafting positional players, especially early in the draft, but Asa does look like a stud.

[P2F]

If the Jays end up with Lacy, they could do much worse!

[P2F]

Nick Gonzales, 2B, New Mexico State (No. 5)

 

Elevation or not, Gonzales has been punishing baseballs early this spring. Through eight games, the infielder is hitting .567/.698/.1.433 and leading the nation with seven home runs. He also has 10 walks, three doubles and a triple. He hit for the cycle—with two home runs—in Sunday’s game against Iona, was just named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter of the Week for the second time in the first two weeks of the season and has extended his on-base streak to 74 games, which dates back to his freshman season. While critics will continue to point to the fact that he plays in one of the more hitter-friendly environments in the country, it would be difficult to hit like Gonzales is doing off a tee, let alone against live pitching. He leads the country in total bases (43) and his gap over the No. 2 hitter in that category (Tennessee Tech’s Jason Hinchman, with 33) is as big as the gap between No. 2 and No. 23. Scouts voted Gonzales as the best pure hitter in the country, and he’s more than living up to the billing thus far. He'll get his first real challenge of the season Tuesday night in a matchup against Arizona State, which will put two of the very best hitters in the country on the same field thanks to 1B Spencer Torkelson, who is hitting .333/.568/.917 with four home runs and 13 walks.

 

^ Per BA

[BlueRocky]

So far we’re looking at a pool between..

 

Position players: Spencer Torkelson, Austin Martin, Nick Gonzales, Austin Hendrick (me likey)

 

Pitchers: Emerson Hancock, Asa Lacy, Reid Detmers (me likey), Jared Kelley

[Spanky99]

So far we’re looking at a pool between..

 

Position players: Spencer Torkelson, Austin Martin, Nick Gonzales, Austin Hendrick (me likey)

 

Pitchers: Emerson Hancock, Asa Lacy, Reid Detmers (me likey), Jared Kelley

 

Torkelson/Hancock? Are they dropping and why?

[max silver]

So far we’re looking at a pool between..

 

Position players: Spencer Torkelson, Austin Martin, Nick Gonzales, Austin Hendrick (me likey)

 

Pitchers: Emerson Hancock, Asa Lacy, Reid Detmers (me likey), Jared Kelley

 

Future Jays are big on Pete Crow-Armstrong.

[TheHurl]

Torkelson/Hancock? Are they dropping and why?

 

no but when you are picking 5th and doing an assessment 5 months in advanced guys expected to go number 1 are still in your pool.

[Spanky99]

no but when you are picking 5th and doing an assessment 5 months in advanced guys expected to go number 1 are still in your pool.

 

Sorry Buddy, expected this afterwards, lol...

[TheHurl]

Future Jays are big on Pete Crow-Armstrong.

 

For good reason but he's said that he is going to Vandy no matter what. I can't see him turning top 5 money down but you have to be sure.

[max silver]

For good reason but he's said that he is going to Vandy no matter what. I can't see him turning top 5 money down but you have to be sure.

 

Yeah, you would have to think $6 million or whatever the Jays slot value is just might change his mind.

[BlueRocky]

Some mocks have Hancock going as low as #5 after a poor first start to the season, it’s worth considering in the back pocket.

 

Asa Lacy is doing very well so far and stock is rising.

 

Torkelson may drop due to first baseman tag, position question marks also had Andrew Vaughn drop a spot or two. You really never know.

 

The only one that seems really out of reach now is my boy Austin Martin

Edited June 3, 2020 by BlueRocky

[BlueRocky]

There’s a good chance Gonzales goes before #5. Not only is he raking to start the season, he’s even playing SS now and answered doubts about the wood bats by crushing it in the cape-cod.

 

Playing in high elevation at New Mexico State helps, but so does the ongoing 74 game on-base streak. There’s speculation he could go as high as #2 or 3.

 

The college pool this year is very strong, even though I’m high on prep guys like Austin Hendrick and Zac Veen, one of the premium college names should be available at #5 and it’s really hard to pass.

 

Hancock and Lacy might be the best college arms in the draft (best stuff and upside), but Detmers might be the best “pitcher”. The guy is an absolute strikeout machine.

 

Out of the three best bats in the nation, Gonzales has the loudest first 9 games of the season so far with an absurd 1.970 OPS. It’s bound to be inflated a bit when he gets a 2-homer, 5 hit cycle with 7 RBIs in a 18-4 slaughter fest against Iona last week.

[jays4life19]

Good to have you back Bluerocky.

[Spanky99]

There’s a good chance Gonzales goes before #5. Not only is he raking to start the season, he’s even playing SS now and answered doubts about the wood bats by crushing it in the cape-cod.

 

Playing in high elevation at New Mexico State helps, but so does the ongoing 74 game on-base streak. There’s speculation he could go as high as #2 or 3.

 

The college pool this year is very strong, even though I’m high on prep guys like Austin Hendrick and Zac Veen, one of the premium college names should be available at #5 and it’s really hard to pass.

 

Hancock and Lacy might be the best college arms in the draft (best stuff and upside), but Detmers might be the best “pitcher”. The guy is an absolute strikeout machine.

 

Out of the three best bats in the nation, Gonzales has the loudest first 9 games of the season so far with an absurd 1.970 OPS. It’s bound to be inflated a bit when he gets a 2-homer, 5 hit cycle with 7 RBIs in a 18-4 slaughter fest against Iona last week.

 

I don't get the bolded part, wouldn't a strikeout machine have best stuff and upside?

[max silver]

There’s a good chance Gonzales goes before #5. Not only is he raking to start the season, he’s even playing SS now and answered doubts about the wood bats by crushing it in the cape-cod.

 

Playing in high elevation at New Mexico State helps, but so does the ongoing 74 game on-base streak. There’s speculation he could go as high as #2 or 3.

 

The college pool this year is very strong, even though I’m high on prep guys like Austin Hendrick and Zac Veen, one of the premium college names should be available at #5 and it’s really hard to pass.

 

Hancock and Lacy might be the best college arms in the draft (best stuff and upside), but Detmers might be the best “pitcher”. The guy is an absolute strikeout machine.

 

Out of the three best bats in the nation, Gonzales has the loudest first 9 games of the season so far with an absurd 1.970 OPS. It’s bound to be inflated a bit when he gets a 2-homer, 5 hit cycle with 7 RBIs in a 18-4 slaughter fest against Iona last week.

 

I'm a little torn whether I'd prefer the Jays to take a bat or an arm, but no matter what it's looking like the team will end up with an elite talent with their pick. I sort of find myself hoping the Jays end up with an outfielder with their pick though, there is such a lack of impact talent in the outfield right now throughout the organization that prioritizing the outfield might just be required.

[Spanky99]

I'm a little torn whether I'd prefer the Jays to take a bat or an arm, but no matter what it's looking like the team will end up with an elite talent with their pick. I sort of find myself hoping the Jays end up with an outfielder with their pick though, there is such a lack of impact talent in the outfield right now throughout the organization that prioritizing the outfield might just be required.

 

BPA, brosoff. The rest will make itself out.

[BlueRocky]

I don't get the bolded part, wouldn't a strikeout machine have best stuff and upside?

 

Detmers is not as tall or athletic as Hancock and Lacy, listed @6-2 210lbs. He doesn’t throw as hard either mostly sitting 91-94, but he’s the ace at Louisville and broke the program record last year with 167 Ks and 113.1 IP last season (I believe in led the nation in strikeouts) and BA is predicting pre-season he will win ACC pitcher of the year.

 

He mixes pitches and locates well and has a nasty curveball to boot.

 

 

 

And a nice start to the season:

Edited February 28, 2020 by BlueRocky

[max silver]

BPA, brosoff. The rest will make itself out.

 

Typically I would agree with this, but when you have such an obvious organizational weakness such as the Jays have ended up with then I wonder if a slight shift towards drafting for need may work out. Like if two players are deemed to have similar value, perhaps the tie-breaker can go to the outfielder. Obviously if you deem a pitcher as a future 65 value player, and the outfielder is only a 55 you have to go with best player, but if players are subjectively very close in future value perhaps favouring a bat over a pitcher can work out.

[Spanky99]

Typically I would agree with this, but when you have such an obvious organizational weakness such as the Jays have ended up with then I wonder if a slight shift towards drafting for need may work out. Like if two players are deemed to have similar value, perhaps the tie-breaker can go to the outfielder. Obviously if you deem a pitcher as a future 65 value player, and the outfielder is only a 55 you have to go with best player, but if players are subjectively very close in future value perhaps favouring a bat over a pitcher can work out.

 

That I can understand.

[BlueRocky]

When you pick #5 it has to be best player available regardless of position.

[jays4life19]

Alright, fellas. After watching 20 seconds of YouTube and quickly glancing his stats and reading 2 scouting reports i can say with 100% certainty that Nick Gonzales should be the pick for the Jays

 

yup.

[Spanky99]

yup.

 

You da man, bro!

[max silver]

When you pick #5 it has to be best player available regardless of position.

 

I wonder what the Jays criteria are for picking the best player available? The lack of impact outfielders in the system compared to all other positions on the diamond leaves me wondering what their priorities are in drafting and international free agent signings. There are obvious impact infielders, catchers and pitchers throughout the system, but unfortunately there are very few exciting outfield prospects comparatively speaking. Perhaps this is a potential side effect of drafting strictly on best player available where you end up heavy in certain areas and light in others depending on how other teams end up choosing around you in the draft. I imagine some of this pitching/catching/infield depth in the minors can eventually be turned into impact outfielders in the future, but it certainly looks at a glance that the Jays aren't placing enough emphasis on obtaining impact outfield talent in their amateur talent acquisition processes.

[jays4life19]

You da man, bro!

 

Thanks. I get that a lot.

[bronson44]

I wonder what the Jays criteria are for picking the best player available? The lack of impact outfielders in the system compared to all other positions on the diamond leaves me wondering what their priorities are in drafting and international free agent signings. There are obvious impact infielders, catchers and pitchers throughout the system, but unfortunately there are very few exciting outfield prospects comparatively speaking. Perhaps this is a potential side effect of drafting strictly on best player available where you end up heavy in certain areas and light in others depending on how other teams end up choosing around you in the draft. I imagine some of this pitching/catching/infield depth in the minors can eventually be turned into impact outfielders in the future, but it certainly looks at a glance that the Jays aren't placing enough emphasis on obtaining impact outfield talent in their amateur talent acquisition processes.

 

They just draft the best athletes which are usually infielders in high school and college. Athletic infielders in most cases can be converted into outfielders pretty easily. Some of the infield depth we have will wind up there. Gurriel and probably Biggio for example.

[BlueRocky]

It’s silly to draft for positional need when the guy you’re picking in 2020 won’t have any major league impact until 2023-2025.

 

Even if our middle infield is stacked I would love to draft the next Gavin Lux.

 

By the time he arrives and it really doesn’t fit the lineup, then we’ll worry about it, prospects are also capital in trade discussions.

 

Pitching is something every team needs, but at the same time they have to balance risk vs reward.. that’s where it gets hazy. There’s always a dice roll with health issues, and even if everything goes right you have a guy that impacts your team once every 5 days. But elite pitching is also the most difficult commodity to acquire via trade and free agency.

 

If the team does all the research and feels really strongly about a guy.. like they feel “Player A” is gonna be the next MacKenzie Gore or Nate Pearson, you have to do it. Even if there’s a strong need for OF.

[Spanky99]

Detmers is not as tall or athletic as Hancock and Lacy, listed @6-2 210lbs. He doesn’t throw as hard either mostly sitting 91-94, but he’s the ace at Louisville and broke the program record last year with 167 Ks and 113.1 IP last season (I believe in led the nation in strikeouts) and BA is predicting pre-season he will win ACC pitcher of the year.

 

He mixes pitches and locates well and has a nasty curveball to boot.

 

 

 

And a nice start to the season:

 

Thanks man.

[Spanky99]

It’s silly to draft for positional need when the guy you’re picking in 2020 won’t have any major league impact until 2023-2025.

 

Even if our middle infield is stacked I would love to draft the next Gavin Lux.

 

By the time he arrives and it really doesn’t fit the lineup, then we’ll worry about it, prospects are also capital in trade discussions.

 

Pitching is something every team needs, but at the same time need to balance risk vs reward that’s where it gets hazy. There’s always a dice roll with health issues, and even if everything goes right you have a guy that impacts your team once every 5 days. But elite pitching is also the most difficult commodity to acquire via trade and free agency.

 

If the team does all the research and feels really strongly about a guy, like they can land the next MacKenzie Gore or Nate Pearson you have to do it even if we need an outfielder.

 

Right, unless they were flip a coin on this kid, lol.

[BlueRocky]

Contrast to one of the weaker pools in recent memory in 2019 (only 2 pitchers in the top 16 including Alek Manoah).

 

The college pitching pool is pretty strong this year. They’re projecting @7 pitchers taken in the first 15 picks. We might get dibs on the #1 or #2 guy on the board depending how things shape up on draft night.

 

I could see them go either way with position player or pitcher. Things are up in the air as it’s only feb and college season just started.

[max silver]

It’s silly to draft for positional need when the guy you’re picking in 2020 won’t have any major league impact until 2023-2025.

 

Even if our middle infield is stacked I would love to draft the next Gavin Lux.

 

By the time he arrives and it really doesn’t fit the lineup, then we’ll worry about it, prospects are also capital in trade discussions.

 

Pitching is something every team needs, but at the same time they have to balance risk vs reward.. that’s where it gets hazy. There’s always a dice roll with health issues, and even if everything goes right you have a guy that impacts your team once every 5 days. But elite pitching is also the most difficult commodity to acquire via trade and free agency.

 

If the team does all the research and feels really strongly about a guy.. like they feel “Player A” is gonna be the next MacKenzie Gore or Nate Pearson, you have to do it. Even if there’s a strong need for OF.

 

It seems elite players are hard to acquire through free agency and trade no matter what position they play, best to acquire them as amateurs if at all possible all things considered. So few of the truly elite players even seem to reach free agency at desirable ages anymore with the high frequency of pre free agency extensions this day and age. It's stunning in this day and age when the absolute elite players get traded at all, guys like Mookie Betts being traded was almost unheard of anymore.