MLB 2020 Draft

[Spanky99]

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)

 

This 2-way spect sounds promising... Masyn Winn SS/RHP

 

video--> https://www.mlb.com/video/2020-draft-masyn-winn-p-ss?t=mlb-draft

 

Callis and Mayo...

 

Winn earns comparisons to Matt Bush, the No. 1 overall pick in 2004, for a variety of reasons. He's a legitimate two-way prospect as a short but talented shortstop with a live arm that can deliver upper-90s fastballs on the mound, and he also comes with makeup concerns because he got sent home early from the inaugural PDP League in July. He was the talk of the World Wood Bat Association World Championship in October, when he touched 98 mph with his fastball, backed it up with two plus secondary pitches and homered in the same game.

 

Winn has a higher ceiling on the mound, where he has a pair of high-spin-rate weapons in a heater that sits at 92-96 mph with riding action and a curveball that ranges from 79-82 mph. His low-80s changeup isn't as consistent as his fastball and curve but can give him a third plus offering at its best. His size and the effort in his delivery lead to questions as to whether he can hold up as a starter, but his athleticism and lightning-fast arm help his cause.

 

Some scouts prefer Winn as a shortstop and he profiles as a regular there. The Arkansas recruit still needs to refine his hitting ability from the right side of the plate but he possesses plus raw power and solid speed with good instincts on the bases. His arm is an obvious asset and he has the quickness to make plays.

 

Ralph Lifshitz...

 

Winn is a legitimate two-way player from Texas who is dripping with athleticism. Winn, a potential second round prospect as a shortstop alone, is built more in the shortstop mould at an athletic 5-foot-11, 180 pounds. As such, he doesn’t have the same leverage as many other top arms. That said, he has some of the best pure stuff in the class.

 

Winn sits 94-97 with his fastball and consistently touches 98 both on the mound and on the diamond. He pairs the heat with a power curve that flashes plus and sits 78-82 mph. Both the fastball and curve have exceptional spin rates with the latter averaging 2900 rpm in Jupiter. Reports of a changeup that is inconsistent but flashes plus with up to 15 mph of velocity separation from the fastball are floating around.

 

Winn has genuine 80 grade arm speed and a simple delivery that looks like an infielder on the mound. He will turn his head at the end of his delivery, leading to some inconsistent release points, but it looks much easier to clean up than traditional head-whack.

 

On day three of Jupiter, he went 3 for 4 with a 2B, 3B and a HR while throwing 3 scoreless innings. But conversely, he was sent home early from the PDP league, causing some to question his makeup.

 

As likely a round two player either as an arm or as a shortstop, Winn has big time upside if he chooses the mound. A ceiling of three plus pitches, triple digit velocity, and the athleticism to clean up his delivery and repeat loom. That said, he may well wind up a shortstop and pen arm, where his stuff would play up.

[Spanky99]

So we pick, 5-42-77... what are the other picks?

 

I'm dumn... 107 - 137... sorry.

Edited May 30, 2020 by Spanky99

[Boxcar]

Veen looks like he's literally swinging a Billy McKinney.

 

Well, the whole appeal of McKinney out of the draft was his swing. Swing isn't everything, though. If your pitch selection, plate discipline, contact rates, angles and batted ball velocity suck, a sweet swing won't do anything for you.

[Spanky99]

Well, the whole appeal of McKinney out of the draft was his swing. Swing isn't everything, though. If your pitch selection, plate discipline, contact rates, angles and batted ball velocity suck, a sweet swing won't do anything for you.

 

So you haven't read on Veen.

[Spanky99]

Well, the whole appeal of McKinney out of the draft was his swing. Swing isn't everything, though. If your pitch selection, plate discipline, contact rates, angles and batted ball velocity suck, a sweet swing won't do anything for you.

 

lol... where have you read this?

[Spanky99]

Boxy's dumn!

[Spanky99]

Veen...

 

--> video https://www.mlb.com/video/2020-draft-zac-veen-of?t=mlb-draft

 

I won't even bother with boner power... just silly.

[Spanky99]

Yay!

[Boxcar]

So you haven't read on Veen.

 

I didn't say anything about Veen, retard. I was just saying that comparing him to McKinney just because they have similar swings is stupid because McKinney lacks in those other areas. Holy f***, clock yourself in the head with a beer stein, maybe it will knock your brain back in place.

[Boxcar]

So you haven't read on Veen.

 

lol... where have you read this?

 

Boxy's dumn!

 

Veen...

 

--> video https://www.mlb.com/video/2020-draft-zac-veen-of?t=mlb-draft

 

I won't even bother with boner power... just silly.

 

Yay!

 

I staged a long time for this fear, it won't happen, I also ask your assertion...

 

I... lol

 

Wow, 7 unanswered posts in a row. Good work!

[Spanky99]

Wow, 7 unanswered posts in a row. Good work!

 

You fail.

[Spanky99]

So you haven't read on Veen.

 

My statement was for the quote below, you again, obviously haven't.

 

Well, the whole appeal of McKinney out of the draft was his swing. Swing isn't everything, though. If your pitch selection, plate discipline, contact rates, angles and batted ball velocity suck, a sweet swing won't do anything for you.

 

lol... where have you read this?

 

The question was obvious...

 

Veen looks like he's literally swinging a Billy McKinney.

 

I didn't say anything about Veen, retard. I was just saying that comparing him to McKinney just because they have similar swings is stupid because McKinney lacks in those other areas. Holy f***, clock yourself in the head with a beer stein, maybe it will knock your brain back in place.

 

You thinking Mike meant a comparison to Billy makes you the retard here pal, I knew the sarcasm, Veen's been compared to Yelich and Bellinger... etc minion. Wake up.

 

*******!

[BurnItAll]

Anyone know about legal options for watching the draft if you're a cord cutter?

[Boxcar]

Anyone know about legal options for watching the draft if you're a cord cutter?

 

It will be available to stream on MLB.com.

[Boxcar]

My statement was for the quote below, you again, obviously haven't.

 

 

 

 

 

The question was obvious...

 

 

 

 

 

You thinking Mike meant a comparison to Billy makes you the retard here pal, I knew the sarcasm, Veen's been compared to Yelich and Bellinger... etc minion. Wake up.

 

*******!

 

It wasn't obvious to me. Maybe I have to wear beer goggles to see it.

[BlueRocky]

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.

 

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.

 

Nick Gonzales has hit everywhere he played.. freshman, sophomore, and junior. He was on pace to hit 30+ homers this season with elite plate discipline throughout college. Even now there’s talk he could go as high as #2 overall. The last second baseman to be taken this high was Keston Hiura, and Hiura wasn’t even this highly touted at draft time (2019 #17 top 100 prospect, Brewers #1 prospect).

 

Gonzales also played exclusively SS this season, just to show he can be stretched defensively and he’s not a liability on the field. The only knock on Nick Gonzales is his small frame (5-10, 190), but he’s showed enough power and hitting ability to justify the top 5 considerations. He has average to above average exit velo, but that isn’t everything. He launches balls with a high barrel%, consistently high walk rate and does not strikeout. In 2020 he hit 448/.610/1.155 with a ridiculous 12.2 K%, 25.6 BB% and led all of college baseball with 12 homers in 16 games. That’s coming off 2019 year where he hit .432/.532/.773, then basically dominated with wood in cape cod over the summer and won league MVP.

 

I’m not saying pick him instead of Veen, Hancock, or Meyers.. but to write off Gonzales and label him Russ Adams 2.0 is a bit silly.

[BlueRocky]

Thanks Slade!

 

Reallllly hoping Veen doesn't end up going to KC

 

Yes many thanks Slade for posting the articles. Especially the ESPN+ ones, most of us have no access to.

 

I am not surprised to see the Jays in on Max Meyer. It’s honestly not an easy choice between Hancock and Meyer if they’re going the college pitching route. Hancock’s lat injury from last summer doesn’t really concern me and I think the small sample of bad start is way overblown. If we’re completely ignoring Meyer’s lack of track record as a starter, Hancock’s medicals, and just look at their pitch profiles.. (Approx #’s)

 

RHP Emerson Hancock, 6-4, 215 lbs

FB 93-97, sits 95, T99 (60+)

CU low-80s (65+)

SL low/mid 80s (55)

CB mid/high 70s (50)

CMD: 60+

 

RHP Max Meyer, 6-0, 185 lbs

FB 94-98, sits 96, T100 (70)

SL low-90s (70+)

CU mid-80s (50+)

CB N/A

CMD: 50+

 

Meyer’s stuff is more jaw-dropping with two double-plus pitches (the 90s slider with break especially impressive), he also is plus in athleticism. It’s sorta similar Marcus Stroman with a tick more height and velo, high-end BP could be a fallback option, I don’t have any data on his CB, he barely throws his changeup since FB/SL combo is completely dominating college hitters.

 

Hancock has better command and still developing breaking stuff, but has a bigger frame and less reliant on high velo to get guys out, plus command and changeup with a FB that reaches back for 98-99. Hancock was a consensus top pick for two years now, while Meyer is seen as a popup guy that was considered late-first rounder last season. Which would I prefer? I’m more comfortable taking a guy like Hancock at no. 5 due to risks associated with Meyer but an argument could be made either way. I’d prefer either guy than Asa Lacy. And higher floor doesn’t necessarily indicate lower ceiling, I think Hancock could be really special when his breaking stuff further develops. Just three years ago he was a scrawny kid pitching 88-92 with no breaking pitches, so there’s unscratched potential IMO.

Edited May 30, 2020 by BlueRocky

[metafour]

Nick Gonzales has hit everywhere he played.. freshman, sophomore, and junior. He was on pace to hit 30+ homers this season with elite plate discipline throughout college. Even now thereÂ’s talk he could go as high as #2 overall. The last second baseman to be taken this high was Keston Hiura, and Hiura wasnÂ’t even this highly touted at draft time (2019 #17 top 100 prospect, Brewers #1 prospect).

 

Gonzales also played exclusively SS this season, just to show he can be stretched defensively and heÂ’s not a liability on the field. The only knock on Nick Gonzales is his small frame (5-10, 190), but heÂ’s showed enough power and hitting ability to justify the top 5 considerations. He has average to above average exit velo, but that isnÂ’t everything. He launches balls with a high barrel%, consistently high walk rate and does not strikeout. In 2020 he hit 448/.610/1.155 with a ridiculous 12.2 K%, 25.6 BB% and led all of college baseball with 12 homers in 16 games. ThatÂ’s coming off 2019 year where he hit .432/.532/.773, then basically dominated with wood in cape cod over the summer and won league MVP.

 

IÂ’m not saying pick him instead of Veen, Hancock, or Meyers.. but to write off Gonzales and label him Russ Adams 2.0 is a bit silly.

 

While Nick Gonzales shouldn't be written off by any means, there are a few things that need to be clarified:

 

1) His lofty collegiate stats are largely seen as completely irrelevant in any scouting sense. He plays in a comical hitters' environment in a non-elite conference. The Cape-Cod performance proves that he can indeed hit at a potentially elite level, but no one really cares that he hit .450 or whatever HR pace he was on during normal collegiate play.

 

2) He is only potentially in play at #2 on an under-slot sense. This does not mean that anyone actually considers him to be the 2nd best player in the draft.

 

3) There needs to be some clarification on the comparison to Hiura: while Gonzalez is expected to be selected higher than where Hiura went, he is actually projected to be a lesser version of Hiura due to the fact that he isn't believed to have the power upside of Hiura. Remember that Hiura's draft stock was largely affected by the fact that he was DH'ing and recovering from TJ surgery in his draft year. He wasn't playing defense at all. I think that Gonzales is generally more athletic and thus has higher defensive upside than Hiura, but he is NOT seen as a "superior" version of Hiura. Both guys are bat-first players, and in this sense Gonzales is expected to be a lesser version of Hiura.

 

Keep in mind that New Mexico State played a 3-game series against Texas A&M in Texas - and apart from Asa Lacy completely dominating him in this matchup (one scout said that Lacy made him look like a little kid) he was largely invisible in the series overall. He also went hitless in a game against Arizona State. These are obviously small samples, but its an important analysis to consider any time you see a player who is putting up video-game numbers against garbage competition. Nick Gonzales' upside will ultimately depend on how much power he ends up hitting for, which I'm sure will be the biggest point of contention in draft rooms. It is possible that his elite bat-to-ball skills translate to more power than people expect; if this is the case then he would be a very good selection at #5. However, if he only hits for average power...I'm just just not sold on that package out of an average second baseman, regardless of his hit tool.

[Boxcar]

Sorry, what I meant was that Veen is so big and sexy, and his bat speed is so quick, that the actual baseball bat he uses would be about the size of literally Billy McKinney.

 

Thanks, I didn't pick up on that

[glory]

[Spanky99]

What's the mystery? Everyone knows he has the high ceiling, just lack of looks this season.

[Slade]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29246516/meet-2020-mlb-draft-man-mystery-17-year-old-enormous-upside

 

The pitcher many scouts think has the highest upside in the 2020 MLB draft has been seen by most big league organizations for just three innings. And those innings were nearly a year ago, when he was part of the 2021 draft class, so some scouts weren't even paying attention to him.

 

His spring high school season was canceled before it even started. But he's been rising on some draft boards because he has impressed in Zoom interviews and has been posting videos on social media that show big league-caliber stuff coming out of the hand of a 17-year-old. He hit 98.5 mph last week and delivers some of the advanced pitch data that clubs covet, which he's been measuring in a warehouse in Pennsylvania while getting remote training from a top independent facility over the internet. Still, scouts aren't allowed to watch or talk to him in person.

 

With all that, he might be one of the top 10 picks on the night of June 10, and he will certainly be among the first 37 selections. At a time when little seems normal in the world, this is the setting for the rise of the MLB draft's mystery man, Nick Bitsko.

 

ESPN has obtained the Rapsodo pitch data from all of Bitsko's recent bullpen sessions, data no MLB team has seen aside from small parts Bitsko has posted on Twitter and Instagram in the past few weeks. I'll break down that data and share some of the raw numbers to tell you what MLB clubs would think about the information (if they had it), in combination with their scouting looks, because I saw two of those three innings last summer and I've been in draft rooms where these sorts of discussions have happened.

 

Also see:

 

McDaniel's MLB mock draft 2.0

 

How the abbreviated 2020 draft impacts this year and beyond

 

McDaniel: The top 100-plus players available in 2020

 

Most teams have seen Bitsko throw only a handful of competitive innings, all last summer in showcase environments and before his January announcement that he had reclassified into the 2020 draft class. Because of that, this data will have a significant impact on his draft status. Meanwhile, clubs that have had video interviews with Bitsko laud his makeup and mental approach.

 

The data reveals that Bitsko's fastball is already truly elite, comparable with some of the best fastballs in the big leagues. He averages 99.6% spin efficiency on his fastball, which means he is achieving almost perfect backspin on a four-seamer. Bitsko's raw spin rate is slightly above MLB average, and that enables all of the spin on the ball to go toward "lift" or the vertical movement, hitting the mitt inches above where the eye would expect it to go.

 

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

According to Baseball Savant, the highest fastball spin efficiency in the big leagues belongs to Justin Verlander at 98.5%. Bitsko's spin efficiency (aka active spin) will vary a bit when he's throwing in game situations and when measured on TrackMan or HawkEye technology in a stadium instead of Rapsodo in a warehouse, but the elite characteristic is obvious.

 

Bitsko's 19.1-inch vertical break (an above-average amount of "lift") in conjunction with a fastball that sits 92-96 and hit 98.5 mph this week has comparables in the big leagues that include the fastballs of Lucas Giolito, Mike Clevinger, Liam Hendriks, Nick Anderson, Emilio Pagan, Roberto Osuna and Pedro Baez among the 10 most similar qualified fastballs using velocity, spin rate, spin efficiency and movement as inputs. Among starters with at least 120 innings pitched in 2019, Giolito had the seventh-best and Clevinger the ninth-best fastballs in baseball per FanGraphs' pitch value metric. Among relievers, Hendriks was sixth, Pagan was ninth and Baez was 30th.

 

The average age of Bitsko's top 10 fastball comparables is 29. Bitsko will be 17 for a few more weeks.

 

 

At 17, Nick Bitsko has shown big league-level stuff, including a fastball that compares to those of Lucas Giolito and Mike Clevinger. Mike Janes/Four Seam Images via AP

Bitsko's breaking stuff has markedly improved in terms of these metrics while he has been training remotely with Driveline Baseball from his home in Pennsylvania, and it improved again in his most recent bullpen on Friday. His curveball and slider aren't currently elite big league pitches, but that's an unreasonable expectation since that would make Bitsko the greatest pitching prospect of all time. Once we step back and realize where he is in his development trajectory, it's impressive enough that he shows characteristics for both breaking pitches to become above-average major league pitches down the road as well.

 

Bitsko's curveball has true 12-to-6 action that allows him to use it against lefties and his slider against righties, as his changeup lags behind as a fourth pitch at the moment. His curveball ranges from 77 to 80 mph and averages minus-12 inches of vertical break, which plays up given the opposite, rising shape of his four-seam fastball. Bitsko's slider averages 86 mph, which is harder than the average MLB slider and among the hardest you'll ever see for a 17-year-old. The spin efficiency of his slider is 29% where 0% is pure bullet or gyro spin, the platonic ideal of a slider. The lowest rate in the big leagues is just a hair over 9%.

 

Watch the 2020 MLB draft on ESPN

Who will become your favorite team's next big thing? Watch the 2020 MLB draft live to find out.

 

Wed., June 10: Round 1 at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Thu., June 11: Rounds 2-5 at 5 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

 

Complete MLB draft coverage

 

These were impressive figures until his bullpen last Friday, where Bitsko improved both breaking balls markedly after getting feedback and making adjustments. The newer version of his curveball was a bit slower at 76-78 mph and with a slightly lower raw spin rate, but his spin efficiency -- the kind of spin that creates movement in a curveball -- went from 54.5% to 66.5%, so the sink on the pitch increased by 2.4 inches to minus-14.4 inches. The best comparable for his earlier incarnation of the curveball was the curveball of Giants righty Shaun Anderson and the best comparable for the newer version is that of Padres righty Chris Paddack.

 

On the slider, Bitsko also took a little pace off the pitch, throwing it 4.0 mph slower but getting the spin efficiency from 29.2% down to 4.2%, much closer to the goal of 0% and, like the spin efficiency of his fastball, better than anyone in the big leagues, with the same caveats applying. The best comparable for his new slider is that of Reds righty Luis Castillo.

 

It's somewhat lucky that Paddack and Castillo are the new single best comps, because both are very successful young big league starters, but that also makes Bitsko's current ability sound a bit better than it is. Both Paddack and Castillo use a changeup as their primary off-speed pitch. Castillo's slider (17% usage, run value is basically league average) and Paddack's curveball (10% usage, also roughly average run value) are tertiary pitches for top pitchers.

 

Looking at it another way, Bitsko's raw stuff -- the velocity and movement of his four-seam fastball, slider, curveball -- has all the quality of current big league starting pitchers and could plausibly be the arsenal for a current big league starter. And he's still 17 with a limited track record of pitching.

 

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+)

 

The magic of this data is allowing us to reasonably compare the pitches of a teenager in a warehouse in Pennsylvania, who is as lightly scouted as any first-round pitcher in recent memory, to those of some of the best pitchers in baseball. Even more amazing, these comparisons aren't that off-base. The interplay of pitches, command, deception and in-game adjustments can't be completely quantified with the sort of analysis performed above, but those things are unquestionably the crucial building blocks of any successful pro pitcher.

 

There's still some tweaking to be done with these breaking pitches, to throw the curveball a bit harder, get more true topspin to increase the spin efficiency, to improve the shape of the slider, but that gap was closed a bit in just the past week. Bitsko's changeup currently comes out of his hand very similarly to his fastball, which is very common for young pitchers. Ideally, the pitch comes out with side spin (think spinning like a basketball being spun on someone's finger), which is achieved by tinkering with grips, hand position and different cues from coaches. This is why it's common to hear about a pitcher's changeup dramatically improving with just a tip from another pitcher or coach.

 

It's typical for teenage pitchers to need years to tweak these things with extensive hands-on professional instruction and discovery, far more than the few months of remote training during a pandemic that Bitsko has had so far. Since Bitsko reclassified in January to the 2020 class, he's being compared to 2020 class pitchers such as Texas prep right-hander Jared Kelley, who has been throwing in the upper 90s for years and for much of each year thanks to the warm weather. Bitsko had only two years of cold-weather high school competition with limited innings over the summer for a travel team and he's also eight to 10 months younger than his main competition. It also helps that his coachability and work ethic are perceived as pluses by the industry due in large part to what he has been posting on social media about his workouts, with hard data attached.

 

Bitsko's two scouted summer outings against the 2020 class yielded a slightly different report from scouts' eyes than this data-driven one. His fastball sat in the mid-90s and is graded similarly by scouts, but his downer curveball drew potential plus grades while his slider was seen as a notch behind, whereas the data suggests they're more comparable now. One of the weaker points of Bitsko's résumé is the question of control and command, since some teams weighing whether to meet his multimillion-dollar price have seen him throw only three showcase innings and one March bullpen, along with this quarantine bullpen data.

 

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

 

The elements for a traditional 200-inning starter are present, but in every other case, teams have at least dozens of innings of eyewitness track record to help them make that decision. As of May 15, prospects can give data of post-quarantine workouts to all 30 clubs via MLB's Prospect Link database.

 

In a draft where no prospect has the full spring's worth of performance that clubs are used to having before they make a selection, teams are leaning more on data to stand in for those in-person looks. Some college pitchers are perceived to be slipping from where scouts had them ranked since they throw sinking fastballs, while (all things being equal) most of the league now generally prefers Bitsko's style of high-efficiency, four-seam fastballs with lift. This type of pitch causes more whiffs because of the deceptive "rise" of the pitch, particularly when thrown at the top of the strike zone, and also enhances the effectiveness of a curveball at the bottom of the zone. This dual upside gives some margin for error in the development of pitchers who are still years away from the big leagues.

 

Right-handers Emerson Hancock of Georgia, Carmen Mlodzinski of South Carolina and Chris McMahon of Miami all throw two-seam or sinking fastballs and are predicted to go lower now than expected when the season was suspended. My latest mock draft has Bitsko being considered as high as eighth overall by San Diego, drawing interest from a number of teams in the middle of the first round including Philadelphia at 15th overall, and coveted by clubs picking in the 30s and 40s with extra picks and flexible bonus pools.

[BlueRocky]

@metafour made some good points, I’d just like to add that even if teams discredit his obscene power numbers due to lesser competition and friendly hitting environment, when evaluating Nick Gonzales you also need to give him credit for his 82-consecutive game on-base streak. He’s reached base on every game this year.. and all 55 games in 2019, and a couple games in his freshman season. An on-base streak that last for three seasons is just absurd and hardly written off as pure luck, regardless if he plays at “college Coors field.”

 

The 60 Hit/55 Power tool BA put on Gonzales is pretty fair, teams drafting him are probably hoping for a player that hits .280 with a 10-15% walkrate and give you 25 homers.

 

He never got to finish the 2020 season, and I’m not going to extrapolate one series against Texas A&M and ignore the entire body or work. It takes an elite eye, plate discipline, and hitting ability for a streak like that to even manifest. And unlike Torkelson, Gonzales wasn’t being intentionally walked every other plate appearance (though there was talk of teams going to do that before 2020 ended).

 

In regards to the Blue Jays specifically, I’m hearing from outlets like Jim Callis and other sources that have talked to their scouts, the Jays are very high on Zac Veen, but Gonzales and Max Meyer are also on their agenda if available. My guess is their current draft board looks something like this, assuming the top 3 doesn’t drop:

 

Zac Veen > Max Meyer > Nick Gonzales > Emerson Hancock

Edited June 1, 2020 by BlueRocky

[AintNoThang]

You nerds have me hoping that the Jays get Veen, butt KC will get him.

[Brownie19]

BlueRocky - would an Anthony Rendon comp for Gonzales make sense?

[metafour]

BlueRocky - would an Anthony Rendon comp for Gonzales make sense?

 

Would a comparison to a 6-7 WAR player make sense? Probably not.

[Brownie19]

Would a comparison to a 6-7 WAR player make sense? Probably not.

 

I mean in terms of a hitter. He's a .290 hitter with a 10% walk rate and 25 hr/year (until last year). That's essentially the hitter that BlueRocky described above. It certainly doesn't appear that he'll provide the defensive value that Rendon does, although his base running may be similar.

 

Perhaps I should have said - does he have the potential to be a Rendon type player (probably with less defensive value)?

[Slade]

Kiley's updated 2020 draft ranks.

 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/29251325/updated-2020-mlb-draft-rankings-latest-top-150-players

 

2020 Rankings

 

1. Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Arizona State, 55 FV: "Tork" is the safest pick in the draft because he raked from the moment he stepped on campus and in two summers for Team USA with a wood bat. He has edged ahead of Austin Martin in the eyes of the scouts and analysts, but it's close. Torkelson fits best at first base, but he could play a fine left field, and he mashes plenty for any position. He could be an above-average hitter with an above-average walk rate and 30+ homers.

 

2. Austin Martin, 3B, Vanderbilt, 55 FV: There was buzz Martin might begin the season at shortstop for Vanderbilt, but he's still playing mostly third base. He's also well-equipped to be average defensively in center field or at second base. Martin's calling card is his plus-plus contact skills and plate discipline, which help him get to all of his solid average raw power in games, for 15-20 homers most years. The production is somewhere in the range of Ben Zobrist or Justin Turner, which could be better to some clubs than Tork's production comps of Matt Olson, Rhys Hoskins or Paul Goldschmidt.

 

3. Asa Lacy, LHP, Texas A&M, 55 FV: Lacy has edged ahead of Hancock now, but his delivery is a bit stiff and his control and command are just fine. The reason he's the top-rated pitcher is his mid-90s heater and upper-80s slider that are 65-grade pitches on the 20-80 scale for some scouts. His curveball is a solidly above-average pitch, while his changeup is a 60-grade pitch at its best; being precise with location isn't required when your stuff is that lively.

 

4. Nick Gonzales, 2B, New Mexico State, 50 FV: Gonzales plays in one of the most supercharged offensive environments in college baseball, but he also raked on the Cape this summer with wood bats against superior competition. He posted absurd numbers (.488/.610/1.155, 12 homers in 16 games) and has comparable offensive talent to Martin, but with fringy speed and defense at second base that could eventually move him to left field; Keston Hiura is the most common comp thrown out here.

 

5. Zac Veen, RF, Spruce Creek HS (FL), Florida commit, 50 FV: Veen is a lanky, smooth, 6-foot-4, above-average runner who fits in center field for now and has a chance to be a plus hitter with plus plate discipline and plus power. He likely will fill out and move to a corner, but he might have 70-grade power at that point.

 

EDITOR'S PICKS

 

Biggest needs and best fits: 2020 MLB draft guide for all 30 teams

 

Re-drafting the top picks in every MLB draft from 2010-2019

 

The 10 biggest MLB draft busts of the past decade

6. Robert Hassell, CF, Independence HS (TN), Vanderbilt commit, 50 FV: Arguably the best hit tool in the prep class, coming from a lanky, plus-running, plus-throwing center fielder who could grow into power; he reminds some of Braves prospect Drew Waters.

 

7. Emerson Hancock, RHP, Georgia, 50 FV: He was on a trajectory to be the best college pitcher in years with a strong spring after a 2019 that ended early due to injury. His stamina wasn't built up for early starts when he didn't meet expectations, but he's still a pure starter who works 93-96 mph fastball velocity to go with a changeup that's sometimes a 70-grade pitch and a 55-grade breaker.

 

8. Max Meyer, RHP, Minnesota, 50 FV: The righty exploded this spring after a strong summer with Team USA, with some scouts comparing him to Walker Buehler. Meyer hit 100 mph this spring and some scouts grade his spiked slider as a 80 pitch on the 20-80 scale, but he's a slightly built 6-footer.

 

9. Heston Kjerstad, RF, Arkansas, 45+ FV: Kjerstad has performed well for his entire career at Arkansas and had a strong summer for Team USA. He has plus raw power, average-to-above contact skills and fits in right field.

 

10. Tyler Soderstrom, C, Turlock HS (CA), UCLA commit, 45+ FV: He has slowly built momentum from a solid summer to be in the top tier of prep bats; he probably sticks behind the plate, but his plus arm and athleticism will fit at a number of positions, including third base. The calling card here is his plus raw power and picturesque swing, while his more model-friendly age gives him an edge over Austin Hendrick.

 

What is Future Value?

Future Value (FV) is a term I use that sums up the value of a player into one number. It's graded on the 20-80 scouting scale. A low-end everyday player is a 50, which correlates to 2.0 WAR; a well-above-average position player, No. 3 starter or high-end closer is a 60, or somewhere around 3.0 WAR. A 40 would be a bench player, while a 35 is a replacement-level player or emergency call-up type. -- Kiley McDaniel

 

11. Patrick Bailey, C, North Carolina State, 45+ FV: The best consensus catcher in the class has above average power, defense and arm strength, but fringy contact skills in an effort to get to his power in games.

 

12. Reid Detmers, LHP, Louisville, 45 FV: A pitchability lefty who has above-average stuff and feel, working in the low-90s with his fastball to go along with an above-average curveball and changeup and plus command.

 

13. Austin Hendrick, RF, West Allegheny HS (PA), Mississippi State commit, 45 FV: Old for the class (he would be a 2022 draft-eligible sophomore in Starkville), but has been a standout for multiple summers, has 70-grade bat speed and easy plus raw power. That summer track record could help with a spring season that never got started.

 

14. Mick Abel, RHP, Jesuit HS (OR), Oregon State commit, 45 FV: This early-emerging prep arm was throwing into the mid-90s years ago and was great early in the summer, just OK later and didn't get to come out yet this spring. Yet he has been solid in quarantine bullpens.

 

15. Nick Bitsko, RHP, Central Bucks East HS (PA), Virginia commit, 45 FV: The 6-foot-4 righty was the top 2021 prep arm until he reclassified to the 2020 class in January. He didn't get to pitch this spring in a game for scouts, but he did pitch at two highly scouted events last summer where he was throwing in the mid-90s and mixed in a plus curveball. Here's much more on him in Monday's story.

 

16. Garrett Crochet, LHP, Tennessee, 45 FV: He pitches with a lower slot akin to Madison Bumgarner and missed the beginning of the spring with a shoulder muscle issue, but he came back just before things shut down, hitting 99 mph and mixing in a plus breaker.

 

17. Dillon Dingler, C, Ohio State, 45 FV: He popped up in the fall as a big, athletic backstop who has plus raw power and arm strength from an above-average defensive catcher. His contact came and went in the spring, but scouts who got a good look were raving and some clubs are in even higher than this.

 

18. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF, Harvard Westlake HS (CA), Vanderbilt commit, 45 FV: A famous prep hitter who can really hit, run and play center field. The power and overall impact are what's in question, but he has looked noticeably stronger this spring.

 

19. Justin Foscue, 2B, Mississippi State, 45 FV: He's half of the best college middle infield combo in the country can hit, has above average raw power, has produced and can play third if needed.

 

20. Garrett Mitchell, CF, UCLA, 45 FV: A famous high school player who turned down money to go to UCLA, he showed flashes his first two years, was off to a good start last summer for Team USA, then had a stress fracture in his shin. He was off to another strong start this spring, with pitch selection the main thing keeping his big tools (above-average raw power, plus speed) from playing in games consistently.

 

21. Bryce Jarvis, RHP, Duke, 45 FV: He was draft-eligible last year as a redshirt sophomore but took a huge step forward this summer; he added arm speed, now throwing into the mid-90s as well as an improved breaker, but the same plus changeup and starter traits he had last year. He's 22 years old, so he's a target to get overdrafted for an under-slot bonus.

 

22. Clayton Beeter, RHP, Texas Tech, 45 FV: The biggest popup guy this spring has a very short track record of starting and a Tommy John surgery in the rear-view mirror, but he throws an upper-90s heater and a plus-plus hook that has some calling his stuff the best in the whole draft.

 

23. Cole Wilcox, RHP, Georgia, 45 FV: A first-round talent in the 2018 prep class who hasn't progressed much in college; he's still throwing up to 100 mph to go with an above-average slider and changeup.

 

24. Cade Cavalli, RHP, Oklahoma, 45 FV: One scout described his delivery as "clean as a whistle," and he's an athletic, durable 6-foot-4 righty who works with a 94-98 mph fastball he complements with a 65-grade curveball and starter traits. But the command isn't as good as the delivery and athleticism indicate, akin to Sean Newcomb.

 

25. Jordan Westburg, SS, Mississippi State, 45 FV: A big shortstop who has plus power and speed and is growing into more contact as he catches up to his peers in terms of on-field reps.

 

 

26. Jared Kelley, RHP, Refugio HS (TX), Texas commit, 45 FV: Prep arm who throws up to 100 mph but is surprisingly under control given that arm speed, and he has a plus changeup that's ahead of his average breaking ball.

 

27. Tanner Witt, RHP, Episcopal HS (TX), Texas commit, 45 FV: The son of the Marlins' minor league hitting coach has taken a big step forward on the mound this spring, throwing into the mid-90s to go with a plus-plus, 3,000 rpm hook that is drawing Carter Stewart comparisons.

 

28. J.T. Ginn, RHP, Mississippi State, 45 FV: The former Dodgers first-rounder had Tommy John surgery this spring after his stuff declined late in 2019. At his best, his fastball sits in the mid-90s with high spin, to which he adds a plus breaking ball, changeup, and athleticism, though his delivery concerns some teams.

 

29. Dax Fulton, LHP, Mustang HS (OK), Oklahoma commit, 45 FV: He looked like a mid-first-rounder this summer before Tommy John surgery; the big lefty was throwing into the mid-90s along with a plus breaking ball and starter traits.

 

30. Slade Cecconi, RHP, Miami, 45 FV: The eligible sophomore had a loud summer (94-97, plus slider in shorter stints) before his prep senior year, which was marred by injury. He had one second-round type outing this spring, but has regained his top form, with a number of mid-first-round type outings as well on a highly scouted Hurricanes squad.

 

31. Jared Shuster, LHP, Wake Forest, 45 FV: A lefty who stood out on the Cape, he has a slightly better chance to start than Nick Swiney (see below), a similarly plus changeup and an above-average breaker, along with a velocity spike this spring.

 

32. Nick Loftin, SS, Baylor, 45 FV: Loftin is a shortstop with a high contact rate that statistical models love and who grew into mistake power this spring. He will stick at shortstop, but he is just an average athlete.

 

33. Carson Tucker, SS, Mountain Pointe HS (AZ), Texas commit, 45 FV: The younger brother of Pirates SS Cole Tucker is, just like his brother, rising late in the process to late first-round territory. Carson isn't as projectable but is a hit-first plus athlete.

 

34. Ed Howard, SS, Mount Carmel HS (IL), Oklahoma commit, 45 FV: He had a solid summer with above-average tools and athleticism to get into first-round consideration but was hurt more than most by the quarantine. He also has a nagging shoulder issue that clubs are worried about.

 

35. Logan Allen, LHP, Florida International, 45 FV: Allen was about the same in high school, but the shorter lefty couldn't find a team to meet his price. He'll sit around 90 with his fastball velocity and mix in a 55 curve, 60 changeup and 55 command.

 

36. Austin Wells, C, Arizona, 45 FV: Wells isn't a catcher and can only then play first base, but he might be good enough to catch with automatic balls and strikes, which might be a reality by the time he debuts. Above average hitter with plus raw power.

 

37. Carmen Mlodzinski, RHP, South Carolina, 40+ FV: He missed almost all of 2019 with a foot injury, then exploded on the scene on the Cape last summer, with fastball velocity sitting in the mid-90s to go with two plus breaking balls.

 

38. C.J. Van Eyk, RHP, Florida State, 40+ FV: "Talented righty" is how you draw it up -- he flashes three plus pitches in some outings -- but the consistency hasn't been there.

 

39. Dylan Crews, RF, Lake Mary HS (FL), LSU commit, 40+ FV: Earmarked for the first round years ago as a prep hitter, Crews has bulked up and looks like Tyler O'Neill or Brett Lawrie now. He has a shot to play center field and hit for big power.

 

40. Masyn Winn, SS/RHP, Kingwood HS (TX), Arkansas commit, 40+ FV: He is smallish but electric in all senses of the word. He'll flash two 70-grade pitches in his mid-90s heater and hellacious breaker, but he also is an easy plus runner who can stick at short and has above-average raw power. The industry is slightly leaning shortstop for his future, but some clubs might develop him both ways.

 

41. Tanner Burns, RHP, Auburn, 40+ FV: Famous in high school, he turned down money to go to Auburn, and has performed well in college. He has above-average stuff and some of the best fastball command in the class, but his durability scares some teams.

 

42. Aaron Sabato, 1B, North Carolina, 40+ FV: He has some markers similar to Pete Alonso at the same stage -- plus-plus raw power but pitch selection and contact are fringy. Another Alonso would obviously be a super outcome.

 

43. Jordan Walker, 3B, Decatur HS (GA), Duke commit, 40+ FV: Walker has huge raw power and is a famous name with some track record on the summer circuit, but his lateral quickness and breaking ball recognition were just OK early this spring.

 

44. Alika Williams, SS, Arizona State, 40+ FV: Williams is an easily plus athlete who is fast and a fluid defender, but he hasn't yet applied it to being able to lift the ball in games.

 

45. Nick Swiney, LHP, North Carolina State, 40+ FV: This lefty took a step forward this spring, throwing a low-90s heater, plus a changeup and an improved, above average-to-plus breaker.

 

46. Chris McMahon, RHP, Miami, 40+ FV: He had a knee injury in 2018 and a shoulder injury in 2019, but he came out late in spring 2019 and in the summer for Team USA showing above-average stuff and starter traits headlined by a sinker/slider combo.

 

47. Justin Lange, RHP, Llano HS (TX), Dallas Baptist commit, 40+ FV: The biggest popup prep arm in the country hit 100 mph this spring, but he would also show more of a pitchability look when throwing in the low-90s to go with above-average secondary pitches.

 

48. Bobby Miller, RHP, Louisville, 40+ FV: He has a longer arm action and his command isn't fine, but Miller's fastball velocity sits at 94-98 and hits 99 mph, his slider flashes above average and he might be able to start. His arm action looks somewhat similar to that of Gerrit Cole if you squint a bit.

 

49. Carson Montgomery, RHP, West Orange HS (FL), Florida State commit, 40+ FV: A big name when he was throwing into the mid-90s a couple years ago, he took a step forward this spring with a mid-90s heater headlining three above-average pitches and the feel to start.

 

50. Tommy Mace, RHP, Florida, 40+ FV: Mace was a projection arm in high school that made a jump early in college. Some scouts complained before the season that his heater was too hittable, but he was up to 97 mph against Miami and has an above average-to-plus slider and the feel to start.

 

 

51. Blaze Jordan, 1B, DeSoto Central HS (MS), Mississippi State commit, 40 FV

 

52. Jared Jones, RHP, La Mirada HS (CA), 40 FV

 

53. Sam Weatherly, LHP, Clemson, 40 FV

 

54. Burl Carraway, LHP, Dallas Baptist, 40 FV

 

55. Zach DeLoach, CF, Texas A&M, 40 FV

 

56. Cayden Wallace, 3B, Greenbrier HS (AR), Arkansas commit, 40 FV

 

57. Drew Bowser, 3B, Harvard Westlake HS (CA), Stanford commit, 40 FV

 

58. Sterlin Thompson, LF, North Marion HS (FL), Florida commit, 40 FV

 

59. Hudson Haskin, CF, Tulane, 40 FV

 

60. Beck Way, RHP, Northwest Florida JC (FL), LSU commit, 40 FV

 

61. Drew Romo, C, The Woodlands HS (TX), LSU commit, 40 FV

 

62. Christian Roa, RHP, Texas A&M, 40 FV

 

63. Kevin Parada, C, Loyola HS (CA), Georgia Tech commit, 40 FV

 

64. Trevor Hauver, LF, Arizona State, 40 FV

 

65. Kyle Nicolas, RHP, Ball State, 40 FV

 

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

 

66. Nick Garcia, RHP, Chapman, 40 FV

 

67. Petey Halpin, CF, St, Francis HS (CA), Texas commit, 40 FV

 

68. Alex Santos, RHP, Mount St. Michael HS (NY), Maryland commit, 40 FV

 

69. Corey Collins, C, North Gwinnett HS (GA), Georgia commit, 40 FV

 

70. Nick Yorke, SS, Archbishop Mitty HS (CA), Arizona commit, 40 FV

 

71. Zach McCambley, RHP, Coastal Carolina, 40 FV

 

72. Casey Schmitt, 3B/RHP, San Diego State, 40 FV

 

73. Cole Henry, RHP, LSU, 40 FV

 

74. Markevian Hence, RHP, Watson Chapel HS (AR), Arkansas commit, 40 FV

 

75. Enrique Bradfield Jr., CF, American Heritage HS (FL), Vanderbilt commit, 40 FV

 

 

76. Hunter Barnhart, RHP, St. Joseph HS (CA), Arizona State commit, 40 FV

 

77. Seth Lonsway, LHP, Ohio State, 40 FV

 

78. Jace Bohrofen, RF, Westmoore HS (OK), Oklahoma commit, 40+ FV

 

79. Chase Davis, RF, Franklin HS (CA), Arizona commit, 40 FV

 

80. Casey Martin, SS, Arkansas, 40 FV

 

81. Cade Horton, RHP/SS, Norman HS (OK), Oklahoma commit, 40 FV

 

82. Grayson Hitt, LHP, Houston HS (TN), Alabama commit, 40 FV

 

83. Jackson Miller, C, Mitchell HS (FL), Wake Forest commit, 40 FV

 

84. Parker Chavers, CF, Coastal Carolina, 40 FV

 

85. Coby Mayo, 3B, Stoneman Douglas HS (FL), Florida commit, 40 FV

 

Watch the 2020 MLB draft on ESPN

Who will become your favorite team's next big thing? Watch the 2020 MLB draft live to find out.

 

Wed., June 10: Round 1 at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Thu., June 11: Rounds 2-5 at 5 p.m. ET (ESPN2)

 

Complete MLB draft coverage

 

86. Daniel Cabrera, LF, LSU, 40 FV

 

87. David Calabrese, CF, St. Elizabeth Catholic HS (CAN), Arkansas commit, 40 FV

 

88. Colby Halter, SS, Bishop Kenny HS (FL), Florida commit, 40 FV

 

89. Robby Ashford, CF, Hoover HS (AL), Oregon commit, 40 FV

 

90. Owen Caissie, LF, Notre Dame Catholic HS (CAN), Michigan commit, 40 FV

 

91. Christian Chamberlain, LHP, Oregon State, 40 FV

 

92. Tyler Keenan, 3B, Ole Miss, 40 FV

 

93. Jackson Leath, RHP, Tennessee, 40 FV

 

94. Jeff Criswell, RHP, Michigan, 40 FV

 

95. Ian Seymour. LHP, Virginia Tech, 40 FV

 

96. Ian Bedell, RHP, Missouri, 40 FV

 

97. Cam Brown, RHP, Flower Mound HS (TX), TCU commit, 40 FV

 

98. Yohandy Morales, 3B, Braddock HS (FL), Miami commit, 40 FV

 

99. Nate Wohlgemuth, RHP, Owasso HS (OK), Arkansas commit, 40 FV

 

100. Colt Keith, 3B, Biloxi HS (MS), Arizona State commit, 40 FV

 

 

'Long Gone Summer'

 

Watch ESPN's new 30 for 30 film "Long Gone Summer," the story of the 1998 home run chase between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, airing Sunday, June 14 on ESPN.

 

101. Carter Baumler, RHP, Dowling Catholic HS (IA), TCU commit, 40 FV

102. Hayden Cantrelle, 2B, Louisiana, 40 FV

103. R.J. Dabovich, RHP, Arizona State, 40 FV

104. Gavin Williams, RHP, East Carolina, 40 FV

105. Ben Hernandez, RHP, De La Salle HS (IL), Illinois-Chicago commit, 40 FV

106. Hugh Fisher, LHP, Vanderbilt, 40 FV

107. Tyler Gentry, RF, Alabama, 40 FV

108. Kyle Harrison, LHP, De La Salle HS (CA), UCLA commit, 40 FV

109. Jack Leftwich, RHP, Florida, 40 FV

110. Landon Knack, RHP, East Tennessee State, 40 FV

111. Ryan Hagenow, RHP, Farragut HS (TN), Kentucky commit, 40 FV

112. Zavier Warren, 3B, Central Michigan, 40 FV

113. Caden Grice, RF/LHP, Riverside HS (SC), Clemson commit, 40 FV

114. Ryan Webb, LHP, Georgia, 40 FV

115. Kala'i Rosario, LF, Waiakea HS (HI), Cal Baptist commit, 40 FV

116. Ricky Tiedemann, LHP, Lakewood HS (CA), San Diego State commit, 40 FV

117. Gage Workman, 3B, Arizona State, 40 FV

118. Isaiah Greene, CF, Corona HS (CA), Missouri commit, 40 FV

119. Zach Daniels, CF, Tennessee, 40 FV

120. Kaden Polcovich, 2B, Oklahoma State, 40 FV

121. Kevin Abel, RHP, Oregon State, 40 FV

122. Mason Erla, RHP, Michigan State, 40 FV

123. Samuel Infante, 3B, Monsignor Pace HS (FL), Miami commit, 40 FV

124. Max Rajcic, Orange Lutheran HS (CA), UCLA commit, 40 FV

125. MacKenzie Wainwright, RF, St. Edward HS (OH), Ohio State commit, 40 FV

 

 

126. Slade Wilks, RF, Columbia Academy HS (MS), Southern Miss commit, 40 FV

127. Brannon Jordan, RHP, South Carolina, 40 FV

128. T.K. Roby, RHP, Pine Forest HS (FL), Troy commi, 40 FV

129. Trent Palmer, RHP, Jacksonville, 40 FV

130. Casey Opitz, C, Arkansas, 40 FV

131. Trenton Denholm, RHP, UC Irvine, 40 FV

132. Anthony Servideo, SS, Ole Miss, 40 FV

133. Stephen Emanuels, RHP, Washington, 40 FV

134. Freddy Zamora, SS, Miami, 40 FV

135. Tyler McDonough, CF, North Carolina State, 40 FV

136. Steven Ondina, SS, International Baseball Academy HS (PR), FIU commit, 40 FV

137. Jacob Teter, 1B, Florida Southern, 40 FV

138. Joey Wiemer, RF, Cincinnati, 40 FV

139. Jeremy Wu-Yelland, LHP, Hawaii, 40 FV

140. WIll Klein, RHP, Eastern Illinois, 40 FV

141. Cole Foster, SS, Plano HS (TX), TCU commit, 40 FV

142. Jordan Nwogu, LF, Michigan, 40 FV

143. Dane Acker, RHP, Oklahoma, 40 FV

144. Nick Griffin, LHP, Monticello HS (AR), Arkansas commit, 40 FV

145. Holden Powell, RHP, UCLA, 40 FV

146. Trei Cruz, SS, Rice, 40 FV

147. Carson Ragsdale, RHP, USF, 40 FV

148. Connor Phillips, RHP, McLennan JC (TX), No commit, 40 FV

149. Bryce Bonnin, RHP, Texas Tech, 40 FV

150. Luke Waddell, 2B, Georgia Tech, 40 FV

[Slade]

Teams Biggest needs.

 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/29200739/biggest-needs-best-fits-2020-mlb-draft-guide-all-30-teams

 

Toronto Blue Jays

Where their farm system ranks: 20th

 

Biggest system strengths: Lower-minors depth

 

Biggest system needs: Outfielders

 

The Jays have lots of solid depth currently in the lower minors, mostly from the past few drafts and international signing classes. While there's a solid group of pitchers almost ready to help the big league team, there's not much in the way of everyday-type prospects with MLB-ready talent in the outfield.

 

How they typically draft: Value

 

Value is the term I use for clubs that don't have a clear preference and could take someone from any of the four major demographics if their internal evaluations support the move. The Jays have a new scouting director this year, but in the past they haven't leaned too heavily on any one demographic, not hesitating to take a prep bat if there's sufficient track record and upside.

 

Best fits: Zac Veen, Nick Gonzales, Max Meyer

 

2020 draft picks: No. 5, No. 42, No. 77, No. 106, No. 136

 

Past five first-round picks: RHP Alek Manoah (2019); SS Jordan Groshans (2018); SS Logan Warmoth (2017); RHP Nate Pearson (2017); RHP T.J. Zeuch (2016)

 

 

His reasoning on the 20th ranking

 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/28931721/kiley-mcdaniel-mlb-farm-system-rankings-all-30-teams

 

20. Toronto Blue Jays ($187 million, 38 players, averaging $4.9 million)

The Jays recently graduated two former top-10 prospects in 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and SS Bo Bichette, with another in RHP Nate Pearson poised to make his big league debut in 2020. Losing three talents like that will be a big hit to any farm system. The domestic and international amateur departments both have been solid and the return on the Marcus Stroman trade propped up this list, but the Jays need some luck to go with potential stars turning into stars to compete in the AL East. With Ben Cherington and Steve Sanders leaving for Pittsburgh, there are some new decision-makers as well.

[BlueRocky]

I mean in terms of a hitter. He's a .290 hitter with a 10% walk rate and 25 hr/year (until last year). That's essentially the hitter that BlueRocky described above. It certainly doesn't appear that he'll provide the defensive value that Rendon does, although his base running may be similar.

 

Perhaps I should have said - does he have the potential to be a Rendon type player (probably with less defensive value)?

 

That’s probably like 99th percentile ceiling, I guess? That’s ultimately what the team drafting Gonzales is hoping for. It’s unlikely he will be the next Rendon though, Gonzales doesn’t even play 3B and probably an average defender at best.

 

If we have to throw comps around, maybe closer to young Brian Dozier?