MLB 2020 Draft

[Orgfiller]

That 2017 draft looks pretty crappy right now. Gore, Mckay, Huira, Adell and Pearson look good but other than that a ton of look to be busts in the first round.

 

How can you say the 2017 draft looks crappy when 95% of the players haven't made the bigs yet lol. Not all productive players will come out of however many there are in the current iteration of the top 100 or the first 30 picks. Hell most from the 2016 draft haven't made the majors yet, and some of the notables from that are Pete Alonso (64th overall) and Shane Bieber (122nd overall).

[BlueRocky]

Baseball America scouting grades, continued from above:

 

Outfield:

 

Shortstops:

https://i.imgur.com/AS5I0ac.jpg

 

Catchers:

 

Despite the three prep bats getting 60 grades in hit, their consensus best prep hitters is Hassell > Veen > Hendrick. While Veen has probably the best plate discipline, Hendrick has the most power and aggressive swing, and Hassell the highest chance of sticking at CF and best pure hitter for average but lack power.

 

Note that Tyler Soderstrom has a good chance of moving off catcher (RF/1B) and also has an impressive bat, Pete Crow-Armstrong isn’t too far behind. The separation between the prep class isn’t that big, as teams are missing the entire season worth of data to evaluate. PCA was actually the top prep player a year ago before falling off a cliff from possible fatigue and participating in too many amateur events, he did gain back some ground earlier this spring.

Edited May 25, 2020 by BlueRocky

[glory]

 

I don't have ESPN+, but based on one of the Twitter comments it seems Kiley has the Jays taking Meyer.

[Vdubfan]

Welp, back to asking - anyone have this for us? Slade?

[Slade]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/29216982/kiley-mcdaniel-2020-mlb-mock-draft-20

 

With the June 10 MLB draft two weeks away, team preferences and talent tiers are coming into focus, so it made sense to use the long weekend to pump some sources and put out another mock draft before we enter the final phase of preparations. I have a solid feel for where the top half-dozen or so picks stand right now, and rather than giving a binary "here's the pick" sort of projection or just naming a bunch of options, the left side of my brain came up with the idea to be a little more precise in what I'm hearing from sources (hopefully with some accuracy as well).

 

For each of the first seven picks, I provide the percentages of who I think could be taken. Other than for the first pick (I'm hearing the Tigers are down to two options), the percentages don't add up to 100 because I'm listing only those who I think have at least a 20% likelihood of being taken. I found that by the eighth pick, preferences become less clear, and there are so many possible scenarios that this approach loses its value. Hopefully by draft day, I will have a higher level of confidence in the back half of the first round. But I would guess that I will not. Maybe I will next year, when things will have (hopefully) gotten back to normal.

 

Also see:

 

McDaniel's MLB mock draft 1.0

 

How the abbreviated 2020 draft impacts this year and beyond

 

McDaniel: The top 100-plus players available in 2020

 

First round

1. Detroit Tigers: Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Arizona State

Torkelson: 85%, Asa Lacy: 15%

 

This one still isn't locked in, but I'm told it's basically down to signability signals, as Torkelson's camp (i.e. Scott Boras) isn't expected to give a hard number. Although Detroit might publicly say that it is considering more than two players, I'm told it's down to Lacy, who fits Detroit's preferences to a T, and Torkelson, the consensus top player in the draft. In the event that the Tigers take Lacy, they would likely target an over-slot prep at No. 38 as a complement to spend the savings.

 

2. Baltimore Orioles: Austin Martin, 2B, Vanderbilt

Martin: 50%, Nick Gonzales: 40%

 

In the event that Lacy goes first, it isn't clear if Torkelson would go second, third or fourth. It's hard to believe he would slide to fourth, but it also isn't clear what Baltimore and Miami think of him, especially in light of the big bonus ask that would be a contributing factor to a potential slide. Obviously, a team's ability to meet such a price goes down dramatically as each pick is made (the bonus slot values also fall), so it becomes a game of chicken.

 

Key 2020 MLB draft details

Shortened to five rounds instead of 40

 

Expected to begin June 10

 

Teams can utilize draft money as they choose

 

Teams can sign unlimited number of undrafted players for $20,000

 

Draft pick signing deadline expected to be Aug. 1.

 

That's obviously an edge case, and this pick is expected once again to come down to a Boras client who is the consensus best talent at the pick (Martin) and a player who fits this team's preferences and will be much cheaper without being seen as a big drop-off in talent (New Mexico State 2B Nick Gonzales). I'll always bet on the most talented player being taken, but Orioles GM Mike Elias was running the Houston Astros' draft when they cut at 1-1 to take Carlos Correa, which helped them net an over-slot Lance McCullers Jr. at a later pick.

 

Baltimore is also one of a handful of teams lining up with likely savings from its first pick to pluck Oklahoma prep lefty Dax Fulton, who was projected as a mid-first-rounder until he had Tommy John surgery this summer, with its second pick.

 

3. Miami Marlins: Asa Lacy, LHP, Texas A&M

Lacy: 55%, Martin: 30%

 

The most likely outcome here is that the top three go in the order I've outlined. The second-most likely outcome is Torkelson-Gonzales-Martin, which has something like a one-in-three chance of happening. The other potential outcomes have likelihoods of less than 10%. The rumor that the Marlins will cut here and take Heston Kjerstad (a ringer for their top pick last year, JJ Bleday) also is unlikely to be true, but it's another intriguing option on the menu. The odds are high that Miami ranks the top three in the order we listed and takes the best one left here.

 

4. Kansas City Royals: Zac Veen, RF, Spruce Creek High School (Florida), Florida commit

Veen: 50%, Gonzales: 40%

 

The Royals are in on Gonzales, but my latest intel is that they slightly prefer Veen as their best option after the consensus top three. Like most picks, this one isn't fully decided, and teams are bearing down on key decisions in meetings this week. If any of the top three talents gets through, that would be the pick here; otherwise, it's Veen and then Gonzales for now.

 

5. Toronto Blue Jays: Max Meyer, RHP, Minnesota

Meyer: 40%, Veen: 30%, Gonzales: 25%

 

I'm hearing that Toronto also has Veen a hair ahead of a few others as its fourth-best option on the board, possibly even ahead of Martin, but that isn't settled. Of those still available here, Meyer has the edge over Gonzales, and Emerson Hancock lags behind until his medicals come out, likely this week. That info would help allay fears about Hancock missing the end of 2019, skipping the summer and then coming out of the gate slowly in 2020 (more on him below).

 

6. Seattle Mariners: Nick Gonzales, 2B, New Mexico State

Gonzales: 40%, Meyer: 30%, Hancock: 20%

 

Seattle is heavily leaning college here and, beyond the top three, is looking at Gonzales, Meyer and Hancock, likely in that order.

 

7. Pittsburgh Pirates: Heston Kjerstad, RF, Arkansas

Kjerstad: 40%, Bailey: 20%, Hancock: 20%

 

Pittsburgh is looking mostly at college hitters, leaving Kjerstad and Bailey as the most commonly mentioned names here, but Hancock could get into the mix.

 

8. San Diego Padres: Robert Hassell, CF, Independence High School (Tennessee), Vanderbilt commit

 

Hassell has some very strong believers in the industry (including me, as you'll see when my updated rankings come out in a week or so). San Diego is the first spot where he's in play, and he's really in play here, so it would likely be a bit below slot, helping set up a potential overpay at the Padres' next pick. All of the top prep outfielders (Veen, Hassell, Austin Hendrick) have been mentioned here, in that order.

 

9. Colorado Rockies: Emerson Hancock, RHP, Georgia

 

Hancock is the player sliding most in this projection, and there's a reason. His TrackMan data is just OK, he's unusual in that he's a righty with a changeup as his out pitch, his 2020 performance was just OK, and most top scouts didn't see him in 2019 because he didn't pitch over the summer or at the SEC tournament. A clean medical could help him rise or could make Colorado feel better about taking him here. Top-notch scouting departments that make sure to bear down on underclassmen to build history have seen Hancock at his peak: He sits mid-90s and mixes a 70-grade changeup and solid average breakers with premium feel.

 

EDITOR'S PICKS

 

How the abbreviated 2020 MLB draft impacts this year and beyond

 

Kiley McDaniel's MLB farm system rankings for all 30 teams

 

2020 MLB draft: Mock drafts, rankings, order and more

Luckily for the Rockies, they draft only pitchers who throw sinkers (due to Coors Field), and part of the reason Hancock's TrackMan data is seen as just OK is his sinker's inherent lack of swing-and-miss qualities. For this reason, two collegiate sinkerballers are also tied to Colorado's next pick: South Carolina RHP Carmen Mlodzinski and Miami RHP Chris McMahon. Colorado is also believed to love Hassell and would take him if San Diego passes. Finally, the Rockies are believed to have California prep catcher Tyler Soderstrom in their mix.

 

10. Los Angeles Angels: Reid Detmers, LHP, Louisville

 

Angels owner Arte Moreno (estimated net worth $3.3 billion) made an unpopular, selfish and inexplicable move to furlough his entire domestic scouting staff, including all area scouts, on June 1, just nine days before the draft will start. It's an incredibly tough situation for the remaining employees to navigate, and GM Billy Eppler is in the last year of his deal. The industry expectation is for the team to focus on quick-moving college types. Detmers is one of roughly six players in the draft who could contribute to a big league team later this year (joining Torkelson, Martin, Lacy, Meyer, possibly Hancock and possibly Garrett Crochet), and he'd go in the next few picks if he doesn't go here. Cade Cavalli and Meyer have also been tied to this pick.

 

11. Chicago White Sox: Patrick Bailey, C, North Carolina State

 

Chicago is looking for college bats, and Bailey fits this pick very well in terms of value and the White Sox's system. It's a common connection in the industry.

 

12. Cincinnati Reds: Austin Hendrick, RF, West Allegheny High School (Pennsylvania), Mississippi State commit

 

Cincinnati is believed to be targeting one of the top prep outfielders and gets one of them in this scenario.

 

13. San Francisco Giants: Tyler Soderstrom, C, Turlock High School (California), UCLA commit

 

The Giants sound open-minded when it comes to demographics. There's buzz that Soderstrom will go in the middle of the round, and this is one of the rumored landing spots, along with Colorado at No. 9.

 

14. Texas Rangers: Garrett Crochet, LHP, Tennessee

 

Crochet's personality draws different takes from clubs, but they all seem to agree that he has a chance to be a Josh Hader type in a relief role, though he has some chance to be a starter as well. Texas is not likely to pluck a prep arm, given its recent track record, so a possible quick mover makes sense. Also keep an eye on Garrett Mitchell or a surprise in Justin Foscue (more on that later).

 

15. Philadelphia Phillies: Nick Bitsko, RHP, Central Bucks East High School (Pennsylvania), Virginia commit

 

Bitsko is the hottest name in the industry. He posted a video on Instagram with some Rapsodo data over footage of a bullpen session, but a lot of prep pitchers have done that. What made this notable was that Bitsko reclassified to the 2020 draft class in January and has thrown only one bullpen for scouts since then (his spring season never started). The three innings he threw over two events last summer provide the only track record most teams have with Bitsko. Showing that he's at full strength and has improved since the summer and giving more complete data such as this to clubs would serve to make him an option at most picks in the first round, rather than just an over-slot option after pick 30.

 

Kiley McDaniel's top 100 MLB prospects

 

Spoiler alert: Wander Franco leads our list. Which MLB stars of tomorrow follow the best prospect since Mike Trout in this year's rankings? Kiley McDaniel (ESPN+)

 

San Diego and Philly are both known to be interested, and Bitsko's style of pitching appeals to a number of teams, including Baltimore and Arizona, which both pick in the compensatory round, so they have plenty of ammo to meet Bitsko's price. There's an argument that Bitsko has the highest ceiling in the draft besides the consensus top three, but there are teams that simply don't have enough information to be comfortable drafting him.

 

16. Chicago Cubs: Garrett Mitchell, CF, UCLA

 

Mitchell is a consensus top-10 prospect by draft models, thanks to some very attractive components -- history of high contact rate, 70 speed, 55 raw power -- but he is much lower for many scouts due to some other qualities -- lack of improvement in college, lack of in-game power, choosing not to play in the fall his whole college career, generally playing below his tools since his high school underclass days. His Type 1 diabetes is another complicating factor that doesn't really have a precedent for everyday position players -- Sam Fuld is the most prominent example -- so Mitchell is not in play for some clubs. That full list hasn't come into focus yet, but the assumption is that someone will take him in the middle of the first round. The Cubs have a new voice at the helm of their draft in Dan Kantrovitz (formerly with Oakland and St. Louis), and clubs have noticed them showing more interest in upside types than they did at their top pick in recent years.

 

17. Boston Red Sox: Mick Abel, RHP, Jesuit High School (Oregon), Oregon State commit

 

I've heard Boston is kicking the tires on a number of demographics, but I believe the Red Sox are leaning more to upside than quick-moving types. Abel is arguably the top prep pitcher in the draft, and new head of baseball ops Chaim Bloom came from Tampa Bay, where the Rays didn't shy away from the high-risk group that scares off many teams in the first round.

 

18. Arizona Diamondbacks: Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF, Harvard Westlake High School (California), Vanderbilt commit

 

The D-backs are another team that seems to have zeroed in on a specific type (contact-first, up-the-middle prep bats) and has gotten solid recent results with that approach (Alek Thomas, Corbin Carroll). Crow-Armstrong fits it to a T. It isn't a coincidence that the other best fit to that type in the first round, Robert Hassell, is Arizona's other heavily rumored target.

 

For their next pick, the D-backs are rumored to be targeting some upside prep arms, and one in particular, Bitsko, fits their preference (high slot, high spin, fastball/curveball) very well. Bitsko is already off the board in this mock, but he's a real option at this pick or with Arizona's second pick, if he makes it that far. Clayton Beeter is rising and fits Arizona's type well, but he'll likely go between Arizona's two picks.

 

Most hyped prospect ever for every team

 

Bryce Harper, Ken Griffey Jr. and Bo Jackson lived up to their billing. Todd Van Poppel and Gregg Jefferies? Not so much. Here's the one prospect we were sure would be your team's next superstar.

David Schoenfield

 

19. New York Mets: Justin Foscue, 2B, Mississippi State

 

Foscue is a riser over the past few weeks, as word has trickled out that his type -- high probability, 50 or better hit and game power tool grades, multipositional fit, solid plate discipline -- is ranked higher on many models than people expected. Foscue is not that different from a consensus top-10 type in Kjerstad and has more defensive value, so I'm told that it wouldn't be a surprise if he sneaks into the top half of the round, even without a plus tool on the card. I've heard only college players tied to the Mets so far.

 

20. Milwaukee Brewers: Dillon Dingler, C, Ohio State

 

Dingler was a late-rising prospect this spring, and he has a wide range from the middle to the back of the round. Mitchell and Crochet also fit Milwaukee's type here.

 

21. St. Louis Cardinals: Cade Cavalli, RHP, Oklahoma

 

The Cards are still casting a wide net here, but their preferred type of pitcher is athletic with arm speed, and Cavalli has the most of both of those traits among the college arms still on the board. Foscue and Soderstrom both have been tied to St. Louis but aren't available in this scenario.

 

22. Washington Nationals: Cole Wilcox, RHP, Georgia

 

There is a group of inconsistent college pitchers whom every team is having trouble ranking, and Wilcox appears to be at the top of the bunch. That half-dozen includes Wilcox, Cavalli, Miami righties Slade Cecconi and Chris McMahon, Florida State righty CJ Van Eyk and South Carolina righty Carmen Mlodzinski. They all show the elements of a solid mid-first-round pick, but injuries or inconsistency has pushed them into the range of No. 20 to No. 40 overall. Teams are telling me that Wilcox will go around here, and he fits the Nats' preference of a power arm.

 

23. Cleveland Indians: Jared Kelley, RHP, Refugio High School (Texas), Texas commit

 

Kelley has been sliding in recent weeks, as it's becoming clear that teams don't love prep righties, particularly those with "now" stuff and "now" bodies (i.e. little projection, higher stress put on a teenage arm), and don't like righties who rely on changeups over breaking balls (which applies to Hancock as well). Kelley is seen as signable, so he'll likely go on the first day, and he still sits 95-98 with a plus changeup, so there isn't a ton that needs to be changed other than tightening the breaker. Cleveland's model seems to prefer guys with longer track records, so Kelley and (at the team's next pick) J.T. Ginn, with long track records of elite stuff and performance, fit the Indians well.

 

24. Tampa Bay Rays: Slade Cecconi, RHP, Miami

 

Clubs think the Rays will pair this selection with their next pick at 37 to take a college player here and try to float a first-round prep talent for an over-slot bonus to their compensatory pick. Ed Howard, Jordan Walker and Justin Lange all fit that type for the second pick, and there's a mess of college pitching that fits that strategy at this choice. Baylor shortstop Nick Loftin also fits the Rays' usual type of middle infielder more than Mississippi State shortstop Jordan Westburg does.

 

'Imperfect: The Roy Halladay Story'

 

E:60 explores the life and career of the former Blue Jays and Phillies pitcher who tragically lost his life in a plane crash in 2017. Watch: Fri,, May 29 at 7 p.m. ET

 

25. Atlanta Braves: Bryce Jarvis, RHP, Duke

 

The Braves are tied to a handful of players who likely won't get this far, and Jarvis matches well what the industry sees as the new regime's type for high picks: polished, college, under slot, stands out in both scouting and data/performance areas. Look for the Braves to follow last year's blueprint and go college early, then high school later.

 

26. Oakland Athletics: Nick Loftin, SS, Baylor

 

Loftin is among a couple of college types tied to the A's. His carrying tools are contact and defense, making him the opposite sort of player from last year's first-round pick, shortstop Logan Davidson.

 

27. Minnesota Twins: Clayton Beeter, RHP, Texas Tech

 

Beeter has a short track record of premium stuff and high walk rates, and he has had Tommy John surgery, but teams think his strike-throwing will improve, and his stuff, as measured by data or eyeballs, might be the best in the draft.

 

28. New York Yankees: Bobby Miller, RHP, Louisville

 

A handful of college names have been connected to the Yankees -- Miller, Cavalli, Cecconi, Beeter, Dingler -- but only one of them gets to this pick.

 

29. Los Angeles Dodgers: Jordan Westburg, SS, Mississippi State

 

I had the Dodgers taking Foscue last time, but now it looks like he won't last to No. 29. His double-play partner, Westburg, has more upside and is bigger and more athletic but also has more trouble with contact. The Dodgers have some of the best hitter development in the game, so they can afford to gamble on the upside here.

 

Competitive Balance Round A

30. Baltimore Orioles: Dax Fulton, LHP, Mustang High School (Oklahoma), Oklahoma commit

 

31. Pittsburgh Pirates: Austin Wells, C, Arizona

 

32. Kansas City Royals: Jordan Walker, 3B, Decatur High School (Georgia), Duke commit

 

33. Arizona Diamondbacks: Jared Shuster, LHP, Wake Forest

 

34. San Diego Padres: Justin Lange, RHP, Llano High School (Texas), Dallas Baptist commit

 

35. Colorado Rockies: Carmen Mlodzinski, RHP, South Carolina

 

36. Cleveland Indians: J.T. Ginn, RHP, Mississippi State

 

37. Tampa Bay Rays: Ed Howard, SS, Mount Carmel High School (Illinois), Oklahoma commit

[Brownie19]

I've seen this in a couple of the stories posted before

 

------------------------

Most hyped prospect ever for every team

 

Bryce Harper, Ken Griffey Jr. and Bo Jackson lived up to their billing. Todd Van Poppel and Gregg Jefferies? Not so much. Here's the one prospect we were sure would be your team's next superstar.

David Schoenfield

--------------------------------------------------

 

I've read it twice now and thought to myself - wasn't Gregg Jefferies a decent player? was he a top 5 draft pick or something? Why's he grouped in with Todd Van Poppel?

 

I search on Fangraphs and he was the 20th overall pick and posted 20 career WAR with a peak of 5.4 in 1993. I don't get it. What am I missing? He must have been a super hyped prospect at some point?

 

I mean f*** sakes, Bo Jackson ended up with 7.7 career WAR - how did he live up to the hype? I mean he was a freak of nature, but he didn't produce.

Edited May 26, 2020 by Brownie19

[Vdubfan]

Thanks Slade!

 

Reallllly hoping Veen doesn't end up going to KC

[Grant77]

I've seen this in a couple of the stories posted before

 

------------------------

Most hyped prospect ever for every team

 

Bryce Harper, Ken Griffey Jr. and Bo Jackson lived up to their billing. Todd Van Poppel and Gregg Jefferies? Not so much. Here's the one prospect we were sure would be your team's next superstar.

David Schoenfield

--------------------------------------------------

 

I've read it twice now and thought to myself - wasn't Gregg Jefferies a decent player? was he a top 5 draft pick or something? Why's he grouped in with Todd Van Poppel?

 

I search on Fangraphs and he was the 20th overall pick and posted 20 career WAR with a peak of 5.4 in 1993. I don't get it. What am I missing? He must have been a super hyped prospect at some point?

 

I mean f*** sakes, Bo Jackson ended up with 7.7 career WAR - how did he live up to the hype? I mean he was a freak of nature, but he didn't produce.

 

I'm a little puzzled as well considering the organization has had five 1st overall picks along with really hyped players like Matt Harvey and David Wright.

[metafour]

BA just dropped a new mock. Anyone got the scoop?

[Slade]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/mlb-mock-draft/

 

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Spencer Torkelson

Arizona State1B

Notes:

Most sources still believe the Arizona State slugger is going to be the first player off the board. There’s not a lot more to write about this pick, as we’ve had it consistent for the last three editions of the mock draft now. We will, however, direct Tigers fans to Teddy Cahill’s recent feature story on Torkelson, the cover man of our draft preview issue.

 

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Austin Martin

VanderbiltOF

Notes:

Like Torkelson with the Tigers, Martin remains the favorite for Baltimore at No. 2, though there are whispers of New Mexico State shortstop Nick Gonzales. Last year there were whispers that the Orioles were entertaining players outside of Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman throughout draft day. That didn’t come to pass. For now, we believe these are nothing more than noise.

 

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Asa Lacy

Texas A&MLHP

Notes:

Plenty of sources believe scouting director DJ Svihlik would love for Martin to fall to Miami at No. 3. Svihlik, of course, has ties to Vanderbilt and took Martin’s teammate JJ Bleday just a year ago with the fourth overall pick. While Svihlik was with the program when Martin was being recruited, we still don’t believe the best pure hitter in the class will fall to this spot. In this situation, the Marlins will happily settle for the top-ranked pitcher in the class in Lacy.

 

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Zac Veen

Spruce Creek HS, Port Orange, Fla.OF

Notes:

Each of our last three mocks have had the same trio of players selected in front of the Royals leaving Kansas City as something of a fulcrum for the draft, with several options from which to pick. Those options primarily include Nick Gonzales, and Veen, the top prep bat in the class. Lately, we’ve also heard Minnesota righthander Max Meyer linked to this pick. Veen offers more impact potential than Gonzales because of his remaining physical projection, and plenty of people believe Kansas City will shoot for some upside in this spot.

 

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Nick Gonzales

New Mexico StateSS

Notes:

With Gonzales linked to a number of picks in front of Toronto, there’s no lock that he makes it to No. 5, but in this scenario, we believe the Blue Jays would be deciding between Gonzales, Meyer and Georgia righthander Emerson Hancock. There has been some chatter of both Gonzales and Hancock potentially sliding a bit, but it’s rare for a bat of Gonzales’ caliber to slip too much.

 

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Max Meyer

MinnesotaRHP

Notes:

The Mariners are consistently linked with college players and lately we’ve heard them tied specifically to college arms with good pitch data. Hancock, Meyer and Louisville lefthander Reid Detmers are the top three college arms on the board, and of that trio Meyer has the most explosive pure stuff. This spot also lines the undersized flamethrower up with a range that we’ve heard fairly consistently for the last few weeks.

 

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Emerson Hancock

GeorgiaRHP

Notes:

Pittsburgh remains something of a wild card. That could be due how the board diverges a bit around this pick or because the Pirates are keeping things close to the vest—or both. In this scenario, we have them scooping up Hancock and ending a bit of a mini slide for the No. 4 player in the class. It wouldn’t be surprising for them to jump on a prep bat as well, including Veen if he makes it this far, Robert Hassell or Austin Hendrick.

 

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Robert Hassell

Spruce Creek HS, Port Orange, Fla.OF

Notes:

Unsurprisingly, the Padres are consistently linked to the top prep players in the class. If Veen falls this might be close to his floor, but Hassell has been mentioned as well and is likely the best pure bat in the prep class. This also seems like the high mark for Northern California catcher Tyler Soderstrom, who has been mentioned with many teams throughout the first round. Because general manager AJ Preller doesn’t shy away from riskier types, it’s worth mentioning that both prep righthander Mick Abel and UCLA outfielder Garrett Mitchell could make some sense at this spot.

 

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Heston Kjerstad

ArkansasOF

Notes:

Kjerstad benefits from a shortened 2020 season more than many other players in this draft environment, thanks to the lengthy track record he has with Arkansas and Team USA. This pick is more of a landing spot for Kjerstad in a range we’ve heard moreso than any specific Colorado-Kjerstad ties. We don’t believe the Rockies are specifically targeting bats, and if any of the pitchers taken above slide to this spot, they make some sense. Don’t count out prep arms such as Abel and Jared Kelley as well. Because of that, we can’t entirely count out Detmers, who is the best available arm on the board here, but most of the first-round arms Colorado has taken in recent years have had significantly more velocity, and Detmers has been more of a fly ball pitcher with Louisville over his career.

 

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Reid Detmers

LouisvilleLHP

Notes:

This would be tremendous value for the Angels at 10 considering how most in the industry talk about Detmers’ likelihood to be a major league starter for a long time. So many people have talked about him as a lock for the first 10 picks that this spot sounds like his floor. If Detmers does go before this pick we’ve also heard them linked to Abel and North Carolina State catcher Patrick Bailey.

 

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Patrick Bailey

North Carolina StateC

Notes:

The White Sox are one of several teams who have been linked to Soderstrom, the top catcher in the high school class. We have them instead going with Bailey, the top catcher in the class period. Like Kjerstad, Bailey is a player whose lengthy collegiate track record and experience with Team USA will be invaluable in the shortened 2020 format. He sounds like a lock to be off the board among the first 15 picks.

 

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Austin Hendrick

West Allegheny HS, Imperial, Pa.OF

Notes:

Hendrick’s name has been linked quite a bit to the Reds lately. The No. 9 player on the BA 500, Hendrick’s power tops the prep class and would rank best among the college players as well. His bat speed is electric and his upside is significant, despite some swing-and-miss questions.

 

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Tyler Soderstrom

Turlock (Calif.) HSC

Notes:

Like a few teams mentioned above, the Giants have been linked to Soderstrom, who’s probably more power over hit at the moment but has plenty of upside even if he doesn’t stick behind the plate. He also performed at an exceptional level over the summer. Soderstrom’s name has been talked about enough that he should be off the board at some point among the first 15-17 picks.

 

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Garrett Mitchell

UCLAOF

Notes:

No one seems confident in the specific landing spot for Mitchell, who at this point would easily be the top-ranked player on the BA 500 at No. 6. His tool set likens him more to a 1-1 candidate than a player who goes in the middle of the first round, but questions about his in-game power, how teams weigh his health (he has Type I diabetes) and his lack of track record during the summer and fall have him slipping into this range.

 

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Nick Bitsko

Central Bucks East HS, Doylestown, Pa.RHP

Notes:

Our last mock draft didn’t have Bitsko in the first round. Now he’s 15. Quite the swing, right? Like Mitchell, Bitsko continues to be difficult to peg thanks to the lack of a spring season, his reclassification from the 2021 class and questions about his signability. He could be a player who slides and still gets paid at a lower pick, but we’ve heard the Phillies specifically tied to him recently and there’s little chance he’s either available or signable at their next pick at 87 in the third round. It would also be slightly surprising to see Bitsko off the board before Abel or Kelley, but that’s how the chips fall in this mock.

 

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Mick Abel

Jesuit HS, Portland, Ore.RHP

Notes:

We’ve had the Cubs linked to bats fairly consistently in our 2020 mock draft process, with names like Hassell, Soderstrom and Arizona’s Austin Wells pegged to this pick. Hassell and Soderstrom have both been picked above and Wells is now being talked about more in the 20-30 range. Prep bat Pete Crow-Armstrong could make sense here, but Abel’s upside is substantial, and he would be the best player available according to the BA 500, as the No. 11 player in the class.

 

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Pete Crow-Armstrong

Harvard-Westlake HS, Studio City, Calif.OF

Notes:

We think Boston might be interested in Crow-Armstrong if he makes it this far, which would get all of the first-round prep outfielders off the board within the first 17 picks. There’s also been something of a prep run in the teens, which is a bit surprising, but each of the players who have gone have been talked about fairly significantly within this range.

 

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Cade Cavalli

OklahomaRHP

Notes:

In this scenario the Diamondbacks don’t get either Crow-Armstrong or Hassell, two sweet-swinging center fielders who fit their typical profile. Perhaps in that scenario they pivot to one of the better college arms available in Cavalli, who has been mentioned in the 10-12 range at times.

 

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Garrett Crochet

TennesseeLHP

Notes:

Crochet’s range of outcomes seems wide considering the combination of his upside, pure stuff and risk factors. He’s the most explosive lefthander in the class, however, and there’s nothing about his operation or strikes that should preclude him from starting—teams just haven’t seen him do it as often as they would like.

 

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Dillon Dingler

Ohio StateC

Notes:

The Ohio State catcher has gotten consistent first-round buzz over the past month and change. Lately he’s being mentioned in the early 20s, though it wouldn’t be surprising for a team in the teens to grab him if they think he compares favorably to Bailey. College catchers tend to go off the board quickly and he came out of the gates extremely hot with the bat and has the physicality and defensive skill to profile well on both sides.

 

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Justin Foscue

Mississippi State2B

Notes:

Another name who’s been mentioned quite a bit, Foscue fits the mold of a player who could gain ground as teams hunt for players with proven resumes. He doesn’t have the sort of impact that Kjerstad provides, but he is a safe bet to stick in the infield, which helps. The Cardinals have done well with this sort of profile.

 

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Jared Kelley

Refugio (Texas) HSRHP

Notes:

Kelley has the pro-ready body that Washington has coveted, and his talent fits higher than this. There should be plenty of demographics for the Nationals to choose from at this spot, but in this mock we have them scooping up the best player available. There is a solid chance that Kelley goes inside the top 15, but deciphering which landing spot at this point has been tricky, and prep righties have shown a tendency to slide down boards on draft day—something that could happen to one of the three top prep pitchers in the class.

 

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Slade Cecconi

MiamiRHP

Notes:

Cecconi would be one of the younger players left at the top of the board, but as a draft-eligible sophomore he’s old for his class, so this isn’t necessarily a pure youth play for Cleveland. Cecconi has plenty of upside and has been discussed in this range frequently, though this second tier of college arms lines up differently almost every time you talk to another scout or team.

 

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Aaron Sabato

North Carolina1B

Notes:

Sabato’s name has been gaining some steam, and plenty of evaluators saw the UNC first baseman go 2-for-3 against Meyer and Minnesota in late February. That performance sticks with people, and Sabato has some of the most usable power left on the board, which would give Tampa Bay a potential middle-of-the-order slugger.

 

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Chris McMahon

MiamiRHP

Notes:

We’re continuing to have the Braves tied to college performers, though McMahon has louder pure stuff than you’d typically expect of someone tied to the “college performer” label. He was off to a strong start this spring and his mix of four potential above-average or better offerings is impressive on paper and in person.

 

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Austin Wells

ArizonaC

Notes:

Concern about Wells being able to handle catching is the biggest reason why he’s slipping, though that’s not entirely consistent with how the industry is treating Soderstrom—who faces the same concerns. Wells does possess one of the better bats left on the board and because of how teams hunt for hitters in the first round, we still expect to hear his name called before the first supplemental round.

 

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Bryce Jarvis

DukeRHP

Notes:

Jarvis’ name is being mentioned in the 20-30 range as well, though there aren’t any clear and obvious landing spots. Most believe in the changes he made over the offseason and buy into his uptick in both stuff and command. With a full season, Jarvis might have not been able to even fall this far.

 

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Cole Wilcox

GeorgiaRHP

Notes:

Another college arm with some upside who’s difficult to place but consistently talked about in the back third of the first round is Wilcox. He improved his strike-throwing early in the spring but some clubs are concerned with his arm slot and the shape of his slider.

 

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Ed Howard

Mount Carmel (Ill.) HSC

Notes:

Sources are mixed on Howard’s placement in the first round, with some expecting him to be available deep into the final third of the first round, and others believing that his body, athleticism and shortstop defense are all too enticing to last into the 20s. With that said, we haven’t heard him tied specifically to a team higher than this, and the Dodgers have historically liked athletic players with upside.

 

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Nick Loftin

BaylorSS

Notes:

Loftin could sneak into the 20s as well as a college shortstop with a history of performance who showed impressive in-game power in front of plenty of decision-makers at Minute Maid Park in the Shriner’s Classic. In this scenario we have Baltimore continuing to target hitters at the top of the draft in their rebuild.

 

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Tanner Burns

AuburnRHP

Notes:

This mock has the Pirates going for a pair of high-level Southeastern Conference performers on the mound. Burns’ production and track record seem too good for him to fall much farther than this.

 

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Masyn Winn

Kingwood (Texas) HSSS/RHP

Notes:

We’ve heard Kansas City linked to Winn with a later pick, though they could opt to go for one of the better college players available here and have another chance to grab him at 41. This scenario would give the Royals some significant upside with two toolsy prep players.

 

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Isaiah Greene

Corona (Calif.) HSOF

Notes:

We didn’t give Arizona a hitter-first outfielder with their first pick, but many scouts don’t see a ton separating Greene from Crow-Armstrong. Greene showed terrific bat-to-ball skills against Team USA last summer and is a plus runner with a chance to be a good center fielder.

 

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Justin Lange

Llano (Texas) HSRHP

Notes:

Lange has made huge strides with his body and his fastball velocity, to the point where he has one of the better pure fastballs in the class. He remains extremely raw as a pitcher, but he drew plenty of scouting heat early in the season and the Padres were among those watching. San Diego has taken back-to-back preps with their first picks in four of the last five years.

 

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J.T. Ginn

Mississippi StateRHP

Notes:

I would be concerned about the range that Ginn is signable after he turned down first-round money in 2018, but if he is in this spot for Colorado, his electric fastball might be a good fit for Coors Field. The pitch has terrific running and sinking life and might help keep hitters in the yard.

 

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Jordan Westburg

Mississippi StateSS

Notes:

This is more of a talent/range pick than any specific link to Cleveland, but Westburg’s speed, power and hitting potential should have him off the board at some point in this range.

 

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Carmen Mlodzinski

South CarolinaRHP

Notes:

Some sources believe Mlodzinski isn’t going to go as high as we’ve previously mocked him thanks to a down spring. The Rays have shown a strong ability to make the most out of their arms, and he has solid stuff.

[Krylian]

I'd be really really surprised to see this FO go with a High Schooler at #5. I don't see a scenario where we take Veen based on how they've generally drafted. I don't see Veen fitting in with their risk tolerance. Just my opinion though.

I believe it will be Gonzales, Hancock, or Meyer.

[metafour]

I'd be really really surprised to see this FO go with a High Schooler at #5. I don't see a scenario where we take Veen based on how they've generally drafted. I don't see Veen fitting in with their risk tolerance. Just my opinion though.

I believe it will be Gonzales, Hancock, or Meyer.

 

What risk tolerance? They actually didn't really show any discernible "trend" under Sanders and most of these draft sites have alluded to that. A guy like Manoah wasn't a "risk tolerant" pick: he was a pop-up guy without a long track record who also carried question marks because he threw almost exclusively fastball/slider in college and therefore there was projection on whether or not he even had a third pitch to remain a starter. The fact that he was a college pick doesn't inherently mean that this was a "low risk" selection. The year prior to that was the Groshans year - and the takeaway there isn't that they took a HS player, its that once you account how much money they paid to sign Kloffenstein, they actually spent something like 75%+ of their total budget in that draft on two HS players, one being a HS RHP ("the most risky demographic in the draft"). Even in this draft you are starting to see suggestion that they might prefer Meyer to Hancock: do you believe that its "risk tolerant" to select a 6-foot tall pitcher at #5 overall? Especially over a 6'4/6'5 guy like Hancock who has the "prototypical" traits?

 

Even still, Veen isn't an inherently "risky" player as he is a bat-first player who has a track record of showing that he can in fact hit, and recognize pitches. Is he really that much more "risky" than Gonzales - a guy who profiles as an okay 2B defensively without elite projected power (on top of being a mid-major player coming from a hyper inflated hitting environment)? Gonzales' profile isn't model-friendly at all for the range where he was hyped to be selected in, hence why you're seeing talk of him kinda falling a bit. Risk isn't just relegated to College vs. High School.

[KevinGregg]

Gonzales sounds like a terrible pick, Russ Adams 2.0

[glory]

Yeah, I'm not a draft expert, but I'd be pretty underwhelmed if the Jays drafted Gonzales. Someone who profiles exclusively as a 2B better be a can't miss offensive talent if he's a top 5 pick.

[Krylian]

What risk tolerance? They actually didn't really show any discernible "trend" under Sanders and most of these draft sites have alluded to that. A guy like Manoah wasn't a "risk tolerant" pick: he was a pop-up guy without a long track record who also carried question marks because he threw almost exclusively fastball/slider in college and therefore there was projection on whether or not he even had a third pitch to remain a starter. The fact that he was a college pick doesn't inherently mean that this was a "low risk" selection. The year prior to that was the Groshans year - and the takeaway there isn't that they took a HS player, its that once you account how much money they paid to sign Kloffenstein, they actually spent something like 75%+ of their total budget in that draft on two HS players, one being a HS RHP ("the most risky demographic in the draft"). Even in this draft you are starting to see suggestion that they might prefer Meyer to Hancock: do you believe that its "risk tolerant" to select a 6-foot tall pitcher at #5 overall? Especially over a 6'4/6'5 guy like Hancock who has the "prototypical" traits?

 

Even still, Veen isn't an inherently "risky" player as he is a bat-first player who has a track record of showing that he can in fact hit, and recognize pitches. Is he really that much more "risky" than Gonzales - a guy who profiles as an okay 2B defensively without elite projected power (on top of being a mid-major player coming from a hyper inflated hitting environment)? Gonzales' profile isn't model-friendly at all for the range where he was hyped to be selected in, hence why you're seeing talk of him kinda falling a bit. Risk isn't just relegated to College vs. High School.

 

Fair points.

 

Just feels like they seem to lean more towards College player vs. HS player, but your Groshans/Kloff examples are well taken. Maybe it's my own perception that's a tad skewed. I hope that Veen is available at 4 cause I'd love to see how it plays out.

[metafour]

I haven't seen any concrete proof, but I've read some people claim that he has average exit velocity readings. Take that how you will, but the Jays are one of the biggest "exit velocity" teams, and they also employ analytical draft models.

[Deadpool]

Gonzales sounds like a terrible pick, Russ Adams 2.0

 

Russ Adams could play shortstop though... I'm also not a fan of Gonzalez at 5.

[Brownie19]

I haven't seen any concrete proof, but I've read some people claim that he has average exit velocity readings. Take that how you will, but the Jays are one of the biggest "exit velocity" teams, and they also employ analytical draft models.

 

Veen or Gonzales?

 

If Kiley's report is correct and that TrackMan data on Hancock aren't good either, then Max Meyer probably becomes a much stronger possibility at 5.

[metafour]

Veen or Gonzales?

 

If Kiley's report is correct and that TrackMan data on Hancock aren't good either, then Max Meyer probably becomes a much stronger possibility at 5.

 

Gonzales.

 

I feel like they probably like Veen's swing a LOT.

[P2F]

Longenhagen's mock:

 

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2020-mock-draft-mach-one/

 

Has the Jays taking Max Meyer, while also being heavily in on Hancock, Detmers, and Veen.

[Ziggyy108]

Hancock or Meyer???

[AintNoThang]

For those questioning if they should take Gonzalez or Veen, I have one question for you: would you rather a Kinsler/Pedroia type or Clint Frazier/Billy McKinney type?

[Pendleton]

The only risk with Veen is that his nukes will deface all the sweet renovations Shapiro's gonna put into the outfield concourse.

 

What a bunch of Veeners in here

[P2F]

This is pretty much a must-read article about Nick Gonzales:

 

https://prospects365.com/2020/04/20/nick-gonzales-has-entered-uncharted-territory/

 

Dicks out for Gonzo!

[P2F]

Keith Law’s 2020 MLB mock draft: First-round projection 2.0

Keith Law 4h ago

 

We’re now just 13 days out from this year’s abbreviated MLB Draft, which is still shaping up to be a college-heavy affair. The lack of a regular spring season also has deprived high school players, especially pitchers, of the opportunity to move up draft boards — “pop-up” guys, in the vernacular — and balance the first round more between college and high school players.

 

Signability information is just starting to appear for some players — I’ve heard bonus demands as high as $5 million — and as more leaks out, it will likely change the picture for the next mock draft June 3.

 

1. Detroit Tigers: Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Arizona State

This seems more solidly Torkelson than it did two weeks ago, although I still can’t rule out Austin Martin or Asa Lacy here, especially if the Tigers want to shop their bonus around and see if they can save to go over-slot in Round 2.

 

2. Baltimore Orioles: Austin Martin, 3B/OF, Vanderbilt

I still think it’s whichever of Torkelson or Martin doesn’t go No. 1, but there are some rumblings they would take Heston Kjerstad on a discount. I have heard a few times they won’t go with a pitcher here.

 

3. Miami Marlins: Asa Lacy, LHP, Texas A&M

If Lacy had had a full spring, he might have ended up at No. 1 overall; he was that dominant when he did pitch, including an outing in which he made Nick Gonzales “look like a little kid” in the words of one scout.

 

4. Kansas City Royals: Zac Veen, OF, Spruce Creek (Fla.) HS

I had them taking Veen on an under-slot deal last time and I’ve heard that rumor again since then — although there’s always the risk I’m hearing my own projections repeated back to me after some kind of rumor-mill laundering process — in part because of the belief the Royals would prefer a bat after they’ve restocked the system with arms in the last two drafts. I’ve heard they’re cool on Gonzales.

 

5. Toronto Blue Jays: Emerson Hancock, RHP, Georgia

I’ve heard the Jays on Hancock, Max Meyer, Reid Detmers, and to a lesser degree Gonzales, as it seems like everyone expects them to take a fairly safe college arm.

 

6. Seattle Mariners: Reid Detmers, LHP, Louisville

Detmers has the best command in the draft, working 88-93 mph with three average or better pitches but perhaps lacking a clear swing and miss offering. He’s probably the closest to the majors of any college starter in the draft. I’ve heard the Mariners with him, Hancock or Gonzales.

 

7. Pittsburgh Pirates: Nick Gonzales, 2B/SS, New Mexico State

This seems to be Gonzales’ floor, and he may get here given that the last real look scouts had at him was his rough series at sea level against Texas A&M, but I don’t think he gets past the Pirates. If he’s gone, they could go with Patrick Bailey or Heston Kjerstad.

 

8. San Diego Padres: Max Meyer, RHP, Minnesota

If Meyer were 2 inches taller, he would probably be in consideration at No. 1 given his 70 fastball and 70 slider combination; the only real knocks on him are that he’s a 6-foot right-hander and that he throws his slider an inordinate amount. The Padres do remain the most likely team in the first 10 to go with a high school pick, although it would likely be a position player rather than a pitcher, with Hassell and Veen the probable targets.

 

9. Colorado Rockies: Heston Kjerstad, OF, Arkansas

The Rockies have tended to go for position players when one they especially like is on the board for them, rather than just defaulting to pitching as you might assume given their home environment. I could see them taking Veen if he’s here. I don’t know if they’d go with Meyer, who isn’t their type (they usually prefer taller pitchers, 6-foot-2 and up, at least in the first round), but he’d help them quickly.

 

10. Los Angeles Angels: Robert Hassell III, OF, Independence (Tenn.) HS

If one of the college arms listed above slips, I think they’d go that direction, especially Meyer given his proximity to the majors.

 

11. Chicago White Sox: Patrick Bailey, C, NC State

Bailey is an offensive catcher but projects to stay at the position long-term, fitting the White Sox philosophy of going college in the first round even if they want to take higher-ceiling high school guys later.

 

12. Cincinnati Reds: Cade Cavalli, RHP, Oklahoma

Cavalli did himself a world of good in his brief time pitching this spring, vaulting himself into somewhere in the top 20 picks with a plus fastball/plus slider combination, throwing more strikes once he was no longer a two-way player.

 

13. San Francisco Giants: Tyler Soderstrom, C, Turlock (Calif.) HS

I’ve heard them quite a bit with Soderstrom and Pennsylvania lefty Nick Bitsko, who never got on the mound in a game this spring and only reclassified for the 2020 draft in the fall (he was originally in the class of 2021). Soderstrom is an offensive catcher who’s worked out at third base and would move there in pro ball.

 

14. Texas Rangers: Nick Loftin, SS, Baylor

I’ve heard Texas on a seemingly random assortment of names, but the one that has come up most often is the very steady if low-ceiling Baylor shortstop Loftin, who rarely strikes out and projects to stay at short.

 

15. Philadelphia Phillies: Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF, Harvard-Westlake (Calif.) School

Crow-Armstrong bulked up this winter and is one of the best defenders in the draft class, bringing a nice floor of a clear big leaguer (because of the glove) who hits for some average, and some more upside if the power he flashed this spring is a sign of power to come.

 

16. Chicago Cubs: Austin Hendrick, OF, West Allegheny (Penn.) HS

Hendrick has some of the best power in the high school class this year but has been dinged a bit for his age (he’ll turn 19 in mid-June) and didn’t get to play at all this spring.

 

17. Boston Red Sox: Bobby Miller, RHP, Louisville

Miller has been up to 98 mph as a starter with an above-average slider, showing some effort in the delivery but missing plenty of bats for the Cardinals, with mid-rotation or closer potential.

 

18. Arizona Diamondbacks: Mick Abel, RHP, Jesuit (Ore.) HS

Unless Bitsko goes No. 13, I think Abel will be the first high school pitcher taken, despite not pitching this spring because the season never started. The Diamondbacks did hit it big with high school arms last year, taking Blake Walston and Brennan Malone (the latter since traded for Starling Marte), and are willing to take bigger risks in the draft than they had under previous regimes.

 

19. New York Mets: Ed Howard, SS, Mount Carmel (Ill.) HS

I don’t think the Mets would take a high school arm here, but I think they’d be open to any good high school hitter who falls, with college pitching as a decent backup.

 

20. Milwaukee Brewers: Garrett Mitchell, OF, UCLA

Mitchell has clear first-round tools, including 80 speed and the potential to stay in center field, but questions about his swing and his health with Type 1 diabetes have him off some teams’ boards. The Brewers have quite a bit of history of taking guys like Mitchell, like Keston Hiura (didn’t play the field his junior year because of arm trouble) and Nathan Kirby (missed time his junior year because of injury), as players who fell for reasons unrelated to performance or potential.

 

21. St. Louis Cardinals: Garrett Crochet, LHP, Tennessee

Crochet has two clearly plus pitches in his fastball and slider, and he (like Meyer) could probably pitch in relief in the majors this year. He only made one appearance for the Vols this spring, an unannounced relief appearance, before the shutdown.

 

22. Washington Nationals: Cole Wilcox, RHP, Georgia

A first-round talent out of high school, Wilcox has the elements the Nats tend to favor in draft prospects, including big velocity, size and a track record.

 

23. Cleveland Indians: Jared Kelley, RHP, Refugio (Texas) HS

Cleveland hasn’t taken a college player in the first round since 2014, and recently they’ve favored prep arms who’ve slipped for nonperformance concerns. Kelley was the top or No. 2 RHP in the class coming into the spring, but scouts have said his conditioning was questionable when he pitched before the shutdown.

 

24. Tampa Bay Rays: Dillon Dingler, C, Ohio State

Dingler converted to catcher after his freshman year, so he’s a better athlete than you typically see at the position, with above-average catch and throw tools, but he’s been banged up a lot and there are questions on how much impact he’ll have with the bat. He’s kind of the opposite of Austin Wells, a bat-first catcher who probably moves to another position in pro ball and could slip into the late first round just as a hitter.

 

25. Atlanta Braves: Bryce Jarvis, RHP, Duke

Jarvis picked up about 9 mph from last year, when he went undrafted as an age-eligible sophomore, to this year, and could also be a money-saver (as Atlanta did last year with Shea Langeliers) so Atlanta could go over-slot with one or more later picks. I have heard they’re likely to be very high school-heavy in this draft.

 

26. Oakland Athletics: Aaron Sabato, 1B, UNC

The draft-eligible sophomore Sabato has huge exit velocities, patience and power, and got off to a great start this year before the shutdown.

 

27. Minnesota Twins: Clayton Beeter, RHP, Texas Tech

Beeter has the best breaking ball in the draft and above-average velocity from a high slot, although this is the first year he showed even average control and there’s some concern about his fastball playing down. I’ve heard him linked to a few teams that particularly value pitch characteristics available from TrackMan and other systems.

 

28. New York Yankees: J.T. Ginn, RHP, Mississippi State

I don’t know about Ginn’s signability — he’s an age-eligible sophomore, out with Tommy John surgery, and already turned down $2 million-plus two years ago from the Dodgers — but the Yankees have done this before, taking Clarke Schmidt off Tommy John in 2017 (which is working out well so far), and aren’t afraid of shorter college right-handers.

 

29. Los Angeles Dodgers: Justin Lange, RHP, Llano (Texas) HS

Lange put on a ton of muscle in the last year and saw his velocity jump about 8 mph, to where he was hitting 99 mph this spring, and is a tremendous athlete with size and agility. In past years, he might have gone in the top 10, but he didn’t get to show that velocity all spring, and teams in general are backing away from high school arms in this draft.

 

Note: Houston lost its first-round pick as part of MLB’s punishment for the sign-stealing scheme.

 

Keith's latest mock.

[metafour]

For those questioning if they should take Gonzalez or Veen, I have one question for you: would you rather a Kinsler/Pedroia type or Clint Frazier/Billy McKinney type?

 

Would you rather Kinsler or Christian Yelich?

[metafour]

[Jimcanuck]

https://www.prospectslive.com/lists/2020/5/27/top-101-mlb-draft-player-rankings

 

Nice list. Veen #5

[Slade]

Hancock or Meyer???

 

I think Hancock still has the edge here especially in terms of track record which will probably be weighed heavier given the circumstances but Meyer is certainly an enticing option with his stuff, delivery and potential to add more strength.

[baubau]

Are there any names out there in the 2nd round anyone is interested in?

 

Tanner Witt caught my eye and could be a Jays target given what they have recently targeted:

 

- Pitcher with size, 6'6 and 200 ibs

- High spin rate

- Father was a former player (Kevin Witt)