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It’s mock draft day on TMBM, and we’re so excited to bring you a heaping serving of 2020 prognostication. John, Kate, and Joe have divvied up all 30 teams and make their selections, serpentine style, to give a sense of who might go where, and who that might leave available for the Seattle Mariners at picks No. 6, 43, 64, and 78.
We go in order from No. 1 thru No. 43 on air, as well as including our selections at No. 64 and No. 78, but the full draft, with explanations, can be found in the table embedded below (I recommend viewing it on a computer, or at least not on your phone). Whether you’re a Mariners fan or not, let us know if you’d be happy with how things shake out!
2020 TMBM MLB Mock Draft
| Pick | Team | Drafter | Selection | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Team | Drafter | Selection | Notes |
| 1 | DET | Joe | 1B Spencer Torkelson | Austin Martin has a higher ceiling than Torkelson, but 'Tork' represents one of the safest picks in recent history with a sizably high floor. At worst, he's probably a .270 hitter with 25 home run potential. At best, the former Sun Devil may be a .315 hitter who connects with 40 bombs at his peak. Torkelson has the athleticism to play 3B or LF, but for my money, take the cash to the bank and play him where he's most comfortable. Detroit has had one hell of a time trying to develop position players of late, overanxiously instilling versatility in too many player profiles. It's time they land on a sure thing -- a plug-and-play. |
| 2 | BAL | Kate | SS Austin Martin | The rebuilding Orioles would love their own version of Nick Madrigal to pair with high-upside high-risk prep SS Gunnar Henderson. Martin represents a safe floor who might not stick at short but could plug in nicely anywhere else across the infield. |
| 3 | MIA | John | LHP Asa Lacy | Lacy might be the best pitcher in the draft, not simply the best lefty. Miami has a good crop of young pitchers already, and adding him should improve their shot of assembling a cheap contender in the next few years. |
| 4 | KC | John | OF Zac Veen | Few teams have been as willing to swing for high-upside prep talent as consistently as the Royals, and they'll do so again here. Veen represents the quintessential tantalizing five-tool talent, with size, speed, and power that match a modern swing and performance against the best competition possible for most high schoolers. For a low-budget team, he's the type of risk worth taking. |
| 5 | TOR | Kate | RHP Emerson Hancock | Toronto has reportedly been checking in on Veen heavily and would be livid to lose out on him here, but faced with the choice of the top two college talents remaining in Hancock and Gonzales, they go frontline starter for a killer 1-2 punch to stack the surgical Hancock along with fireballing Nate Pearson, although depending on your opinion of Bichette and Vlad Jr.'s defense, that infield might not be as stacked as it looks at first glance. |
| 6 | SEA | Joe | 2B/SS Nick Gonzales | Perhaps the easiest pick in the draft, Gonzales not only fills a glaring need for middle infield upside in the Mariners system, but also checks the box of a presumptive fast-moving prospect in Jerry Dipoto's rebuild. Gonzales certainly doesn't represent the highest upside in the draft, but he's one of the safer floors available at no. 6. The hit tool is what carries Gonzales' stock. The bat has drawn comparisons to 2018's Keston Hiura, but from this chair, Rickie Weeks Jr. is a better future value comp. |
| 7 | PIT | Joe | RHP Mick Abel | While the hometown kid Austin Hendrick will be a favorite here, for my money, Abel represents a higher floor AND and higher ceiling at no.7. There are mechanics in Hendricks' swing that give me pause, and with a pick this high, you want to be sure with what you're acquiring. Max Meyer is another excellent option here, but Abel has the ace ceiling you're looking for without closer risk. Abel reminds me a bit of former Pirates ace Kris Benson. The rebuild has just begun. Pittsburgh is in no rush to compete in the next couple years. |
| 8 | SDP | Kate | OF Austin Hendrick | SD loves a prep prospect and with one of the game's two best farms, can afford that luxury. If hometown kid Hendrick isn't taken in an attempt to mend fences between PIT's ownership and a much put-upon fanbase, expect SD to jump on the outfielder with light tower power here to immediately become one of their best outfield prospects. If Hendrick is gone, they might look to everything's-bigger-in-Texas prep RHP Jared Kelley. |
| 9 | COL | John | OF Garrett Mitchell | When Coors is your home park, you can't afford defensive liabilities in the outfield. Mitchell offers a high floor with his athleticism and defensive acumen, along with top notch spray skills and exit velocities that could translate to game power with the right grooming. |
| 10 | LAA | John | RHP Max Meyer | Neither size nor durability concerns have stayed the Angels hand in the past, and they shouldn't this year. Meyer is a firecracker who can help bolster Anaheim's injury-shattered pitching depth. He has all the traits that could make him a fast mover, helping Anaheim push to make the most of Mike Trout's prime much like Griffin Canning. |
| 11 | CHW | Kate | LHP Reid Detmers | After a long, slow slog back to contention, the White Sox finally have a group of prospects poised to make an impact at the big-league level. They'll complement that crew with a fast-moving college arm in the polished Reid Detmers and his super-plus curveball, who will immediately become their top-rated lefty pitching prospect and maybe their top-rated pitching prospect once Kopech graduates from the list. C Patrick Bailey is also in play here. |
| 12 | CIN | Joe | C Patrick Bailey | Bailey is the best catching prospect in this years draft and represents a safe pick at a position of need for the Reds. Rules for catchers may be changing in the coming years, but that won't matter for Bailey who possesses a plus hit tool and above average power. The arm will comfortably hold runners too. Tyler Stephenson will be in Cincinnati in 2020, but there's not much behind him. Bailey represents a strong insurance policy, especially with an aging Joey Votto departing the Reds in the next few years. |
| 13 | SFG | Joe | OF Heston Kjerstad | Kjerstad may be the best bat that nobody is talking about. He's already an above average hitter who projects to have above average or better power at the plate. Kjerstad came out of the gates hot as hell in 2020, and had the season gone as planned, he may have played himself into the Top 10. At 13, the Giants get a stud corner bat who should be in San Francisco by 2023. Texas suddenly has a system packed with outfield talent in Kjerstad, Hunter Bishop and Heliot Ramos on the way. |
| 14 | TEX | Kate | RHP Jared Kelley | It would be surprising to see Kelley fall this far and Texas is flush with young and volatile arms, but the big-bodied Kelley offers size, strength, and durability. It would also be a popular pick in the Lone Star State; Refurgio, where Kelley was a two-sport star, is five hours south on I-35 from Arlington. |
| 15 | PHI | John | OF Pete Crow-Armstrong | The Phillies system is surprisingly grim, but not for lack of taste for young talent. They can bolster their future with PCA, who has plenty of ability to stick in center and become a well-rounded, above-average player in Philly. |
| 16 | CHC | John | LHP Garrett Crochet | The Cubs' fixation has been on bolstering their young pitching depth, to support one of the most impressive position player groups assembled in recent memory. While Kris Bryant may be long gone by the time Crochet takes the ball at Wrigley, the Cubbies will get a college arm with a healthy splash of upside. |
| 17 | BOS | Kate | RHP Nick Bitsko | Boston is beginning the slow process of rebuilding their farm system but aren't yet tanky enough to have a top-10 pick. With no second-round pick, they have two options: go for conservative lower-cost college signings, or go after a big prep fish with star potential and rely on franchise lore to reel him in. Bitsko, who reclassified to be part of this draft, is the highest-upside pitcher left on the board and is an East Coast kid to boot. |
| 18 | ARI | Joe | SS Ed Howard | Arizona loves the prep route and that doesn't change in their selection with the best high school middle infield prospect in the 2020 draft. Howard is already a near-lock to stick at shortstop thanks to his soft hands and fluid motions at the position. He's got plenty of arm for the position. The bat is still a work in progress, but with long levers and plenty of projectability in his frame, Howard should grow into an above average hitter with fringe average power. |
| 19 | NYM | Joe | C Dillon Dingler | Dingler may be the most athletic collegiate catcher in this years draft. If the Mets are so inclined, he could make the move to third base or a corner outfield spot fairly comfotably. Dingler has plenty of arm for any position on the diamond, and moves well too. The bat projects as above average or better, with a developing power tool that splits scouts, ranging from average to plus. There's a little bit of Dale Murphy in Dillon Dingler. |
| 20 | MIL | Kate | RHP Carmen Mlodzinski | The Brewers, with one of the weaker farms in baseball, could go in almost any direction but will probably stick with college players to fit their Yelich window. Mlodzinski's relatively safe floor and high upside will help shore up a group of shaky arms, and he might be headed to the one organization where many fans can comfortably pronounce "Mlodzinski." |
| 21 | STL | John | OF Robert Hassell | Hassell is a centerfielder with perhaps the best hit tool in the draft or a tweener without a carrying tool, depending on who you ask. I like Hassell a shade higher than this, even, but think he's well-suited to being maximized in the Cardinals ever-versatility-focused system. |
| 22 | WAS | John | RHP Cole Wilcox | The defending champs are in the league's most enviable pickle, with a farm heavily drawn upon, but done so in successful pursuit of the franchise's first title. Wilcox has plenty of leverage as a draft-eligible sophomore, but Washington can make this a win-win. Use their expanded draft pool from their compensatory pick in losing Anthony Rendon to woo the talented righty, or low-ball him and recoup an extra first round pick in next year's sure-to-be-stacked draft. |
| 23 | CLE | Kate | C Austin Wells | A former PAC-12 Freshman of the Year, Wells is an intriguing combination of tools and skills who could blossom into a legitimate star with the right development. He might stick behind the dish and knock Josh Naylor over to first, or Cleveland could try the athletic Wells in the OF. He's also got a big personality and infectious smile that could help ownership distract from letting homegrown star Francisco Lindor walk after this season like you know they will. |
| 24 | TBR | Joe | RHP Bobby Miller | Miller is a name surging up draft boards. 95-96 with fast-developing breaking stuff, Miller is a local prospect who's plenty comfortable pitching in Florida. Several colleges from the state make sense here too. Chris McMahon, CJ Van Eyk and Slade Cecconi are both good options. |
| 25 | ATL | Joe | RHP Jared Jones | Jones has one of the more high-octane arms in this years' draft, and will require a fairly high draft position to be lured away from Austin, Texas. He and fellow prepster Austin Wynn are good options here, but the Braves probably prefer Jones, a more prototypical starting arm. Jones is 96-98 with a very good slider and reasonably safe mechanics. He'll be a fun project. |
| 26 | OAK | Kate | SS Casey Martin | The A's are one of the teams most hurt by the season shutdown, losing a year of control over their soon-to-be-costly core. While Oakland prizes big-upside prep athletes, this year they'll play it safe-ish with the big power upside but also big strikeout numbers of Arkansas' Casey Martin. |
| 27 | MIN | John | OF Daniel Cabrera | Cabrera's bat fits anywhere. The junior isn't out of eligibility, but figures to be an easier sign that could let the Twins go bigger with their other selections. Minnesota has seen the value of offense in their lineup, happy to outscore the opponent and overlook defensive limitations. Cabrera's swing should fit the modern game like - no pun intended - a glove. |
| 28 | NYY | John | RHP Tanner Burns | The Yankees may be the big winners of the UDFA frenzy, but signing Gerrit Cole means the Yankees are down their 2nd and 5th round picks for this draft, cutting their pool significantly. Burns should be signable all the same, as the Auburn righty ticks all the boxes New York has targeted. His fastball plays up with excellent command and what seems to be efficient backspin. It's paired with a good breaking ball that drops near 12-6, and a changeup that should keep lefties honest. |
| 29 | LAD | Kate | 3B Jordan Walker | Walker, with a strong commitment to Duke, could be a tough sign, but the Dodgers have the storied franchise and spending power to get the toolsy infielder into the org, and the PD to develop the raw power in his bat into something special. The kid is made for stardom and the LA lights suit him just fine. |
| 30 | BAL | Joe | RHP JT Ginn | Ginn was widely regarded a Top 15 pick prior to injuring his elbow and going under the knife for Tommy John this season. Ginn has been a first round talent since his high school days, so there's plenty of track record and value in landing him this late. When healthy, Ginn's slider is right up there with Meyers and has high-leverage reliever floor. |
| 31 | PIT | Joe | RHP Slade Cecconi | Cecconi was widely regarded a first round guy headed in 2020, though his stuff took a slight decline this season. The fastball was more 93 this season rather the accustom mid-90s heat we're used to. That being said, Cecconi has a long track record of success in the ACC and should have no issue reaching his rotation ceiling. He's still plenty projectable. |
| 32 | KCR | Kate | RHP Cade Cavalli | After splashing on a hot prepster with their first pick, KC hews a little more conservative with their second pick of the draft while still hunting upside with Oklahoma's Cavalli, who has frontline upside but remains a project despite being a college arm. |
| 33 | ARI | John | RHP Kyle Nicolas | Going big on Ed Howard is a great gamble for Arizona, but with one pick fewer than normal thanks to signing Madison Bumgarner, they'll be a bit more pressed for pool space than usual. I expect they go underslot here. Nicolas is likely a reliever, but has all the traits of a good one, with good command, mid-to-upper-90s heat and two above-average breaking balls. |
| 34 | SDP | John | RHP CJ Van Eyk | With Hendrick in round one, San Diego goes a bit more conservative here, but their bonus pool has over $3 million more than Arizona, so they needn't scrimp too much. Van Eyk has three pitches that are all impressive, giving him starter prospects despite a slighter frame. Inconsistency has been the knock on him, and his command isn't impeccable, but his easy motion and performance against top competition make him an exciting selection to pair with Hendrick. |
| 35 | COL | Kate | RHP Chris McMahon | McMahon, out of Miami, would be a great get for the Rockies here as he'd immediately become their best righty pitching prospect. The polished college arm could join Ryan Rolison, Karl Kauffman, and Ryan Castellani as the Rockies' homegrown rotation of the future. |
| 36 | CLE | Joe | OF Isaiah Greene | After securing a solid bat in Austin Wells with their first pick in the draft, Cleveland returns to it's roots and drafts a high upside prep hitter in Greene. As far as prep hit tools go, Greene has the makings of a solid big league hitter with a mechanically sound stroke from the left side. Committed to Missouri, he won't be inexpensive by any means, but should be plenty signable for the Tribe. Greene, paired with Brayan Rocchio, make a beautiful outfield tandem to dream on, loaded with tools and projectability. |
| 37 | TBR | Joe | OF Dylan Crews | Like Cleveland, the Rays use their second selection of the draft on a local kid with huge tools and a skyhigh ceiling. Dylan Crews has been on scouting radars for the better part of 4 years and has been slotted as a first round talent all along the way. The Lake Mary HS product has a compact, loud righty swing that generates plus exit velocities, especially for a kid his age. Unlike Greene, Crews will almost certainly shift to a corner upon his professional debut where his bat will have to do the talking. His above average arm and average run tool profile best in right field. He immediately becomes biggest upside outfielder in the Rays system. |
| 38 | DET | Kate | SS Nick Loftin | Detroit continues to round out their weaker position player group with the former Team USA starter from Baylor. Loftin is more of a consistent performer than a flashy one, but can play all across the diamond while offering a disciplined, contact-oriented approach in the box. The Tigers have a pair of infield prospects in Isaac Paredes and Willi Castro but neither are locks to stick at short, so Loftin's defensive utility fits nicely in Detroit's infield of the future. |
| 39 | BAL | John | OF Chase Davis | Baltimore has more cash available in the draft than any club, with nearly $14 million in pool space to burn. With a couple high-ceiling college players in the fold, they turn to the prep side for a young outfielder with explosive bat speed who could handle right field at Camden Yards with a cannon for an arm and threaten the warehouse across the street with his bat as well. |
| 40 | MIA | John | RHP Victor Mederos | Local prep power arm. The Marlins have gone prep in the 1st and/or 2nd round every year of the past decade, and there should be no reason to flip the script in this youth-rich draft. |
| 41 | KCR | Kate | C Tyler Soderstrom | The Royals have the third-most money to spend in the draft, a track history of taking high-upside prep prospects, and a timeline back to contention built toward top prospect Bobby DeWitt Jr., who is just 19. Soderstrom, who--like DeWitt--has big-league bloodlines, impressed for Team USA this summer with his powerful bat. Even if he can't stick at catcher, he offers enough athleticism to play in either the outfield or at the hot corner. This is around the latest the UCLA commit could be taken and possibly make it to the majors, and he could come off the board earlier for a team that believes his future is behind the dish. |
| 42 | TOR | Joe | OF David Calabrese | An Ontario native, Calabrese becomes the Jays top outfield prospect in a system devoid of much talent beyond the dirt. While Griffin Conine is a good prospect in his own right, Calabrese has a hit tool scouts salivate over. Surely being selected by his native Blue Jays should help sway him away from his heavy Arkansas commitment. Calabrese is a natural CF who should stick at the position and could become a plus hitter. |
| 43 | SEA | Joe | SS/3B Jordan Westburg | Westburg comes to Seattle as the collegiate shortstop with likely the best hit tool of the bunch. The industry is split on whether can remain at the position, grading out as average to most. The arm is plenty strong, though the hands aren't as soft as some would like. His lateral ability is good, though he's stiff on some balls to his left. Westburg joins Gonzales as a MIF tandem that could be featured in Seattle for years to come. If not, he slides over to 3B to overtake a position left by a departing Kyle Seager. There's an above average hitter here, though a swing change adding more loft could unlock 20+ HR potential. |
| 44 | PIT | Kate | 1B Aaron Sabato | The Pirates failed to sufficiently #TankForTork so they'll have to settle for Tork Lite in Sabato, who has similar massive raw power but is a poorer athlete overall. Sabato can challenge fellow 1B Mason Martin for the title of best power in the org, a title Martin has carried unchallenged since being drafted in 2017. If the Pirates did go for a prep position player like Austin Hendrick with their first pick, as many expect, a college arm would make sense here. |
| 45 | SDP | John | SS Carson Tucker | The Padres can swing their bonus pool around, splashing for another prep here. Tucker has a well-balanced profile, and could be a big leaguer just like his brother. San Diego has shown no aversion to big leg kicks in their youngsters, and with a bit of refining Tucker could beat his big bro's pace to the bigs. |
| 46 | COL | John | RHP Bryce Jarvis | The Rockies are always looking for Fastball/Changeup specialists who can survive Coors better than most, and Jarvis has beefed up his profile to include impressive offerings of both. With him and McMahon, there's clear rotation material in this draft. |
| 47 | CHW | Kate | C Drew Romo | After playing it conservative with their first pick, the ChiSox swing big on a prep here. Romo is the best prep defensive catcher in the class and offers a relatively safe floor from that standpoint, and the White Sox have time to develop his bat, especially with Grandal locked up through 2023. |
| 48 | CIN | Joe | SP Cole Henry | Henry is cut from the prototypical starting pitcher cloth. Any other year, there's a good chance he sneaks into the first round. He's got the full arsenal; two fastballs, a power curveball and a changeup that's he's worked to develop it's command and depth. There's still some refinement necessary in pitchability and command across the board, but Henry would be a good get for CIN, but may be a shade overslot. |
| 49 | SFG | Joe | 2B/3B Justin Foscue | Foscue represents one of the higher floor hitters in this years draft, albeit one with question marks on the defensive side of the ball. He doesn't have the best arm, but he makes the routine plays and has soft hands to handle most places on the diamond. A Mississippi State product, Foscue immediately becomes one of the better infield prosepcts in the Giants system, teaming up with burgeoning star Marco Luciano up the middle. |
| 50 | TEX | Kate | RHP Carson Montgomery | Texas has other needs but 1) love them a powerful prep arm and 2) can't pass up the polish + stuff CarMon offers at this slot, with a mid-90s fastball and one of the best sliders in the class. He could be a fast-moving bullpen power arm but has legitimate top-of-the-rotation potential if his promising changeup develops. |
| 51 | CHC | John | SS Freddy Zamora | The shortened season made Zamora's would-be injury-shortened season less conspicuous, as a leg injury should be fully healed by fall, or whenever minor league ball resumes in some capacity. Arguably a first round talent, Zamora is a versatile middle infielder with great defensive skills and a balanced profile that could easily track to the bigs. It's hard to know if his rules suspension to start the season was an innocuous error or a sign of a more significant red flag, but the Cubs have hardly been ones to balk at character concerns. |
| 52 | NYM | John | RHP Tommy Mace | The Mets can add another massive hurler to their pitching pipeline in Mace. The Florida righty isn't a strikeout savant, but he's got all the pieces to be a starter long term, particularly if he can tighten a breaking ball that isn't quite a swing and miss pitch yet. |
| 53 | MIL | Kate | 3B/1B Blaze Jordan | After making a conservative college pick earlier in the draft, the Brewers splash here on some of the best raw power in the class. Jordan re-classified to be part of this draft and while he's almost certain to end up as a first baseman, his carrying tool is loud, explosive power off the bat. Milwaukee's system is full of defensive-minded contact hitters and Jordan will immediately earn "best power" accolades while providing an exciting...spark for a less-than-exciting farm system. |
| 54 | STL | Joe | SP Justin Lange | The Cardinals are no stranger to big, high-upside arms and Lange may have just as much upside as some of the bigger prep arms in this draft. At 6-5, Lange has the long, lean body scouts drool over. The mechanics are clean, but the command is not. Lange has one of the easiest 99 mph fastballs you can find, he just needs helping spotting it from time to time. There's a slider and changeup there still developing too. He's a project, but he has considerable ace potential. |
| 55 | WAS | Joe | SS Alika Williams | The Nationals get surplus value in Williams at 55, arguably the most polished defensive shortstop in the draft. Williams frame suggests he still has some growing to do, and that should appease the Nationals who are surely banking on more pop coming to the plate. Already a good hitter, the former Sun Devil is a below average power hitter, though he could grow into fringe average with time. Williams floor is extremely high, and has glove-first big league regular written all over him. |
| 56 | CLE | Kate | RHP Jake Eder | Cleveland can really develop a pitching prospect, and they have a lot to work with in the 6'4" Vandy boy. Eder has two plus pitches (FB, CB) and one underutilized changeup and can struggle to command his pitch mix, but there's plenty of raw stuff here for a talented PD department to sink their teeth into. |
| 57 | TBR | John | 3B Gage Workman | Tampa went prep with Dylan Crews, but can still get an upside play from the college ranks in Workman. One of the youngest collegians in the draft has power that can stick on the left side of the infield with switch-hitting talent. The club that has developed Brandon and Josh Lowe, not to mention Wander Franco and Wily Adames, can bolster their infield upside further. |
| 58 | OAK | John | RHP Hunter Barnhart | Oakland should have better luck signing a two-sport star this time, as Barnhart is clearly focused on baseball. The improving righty will likely only continue to add to his three pitch repertoire with just one sport in his crosshairs. |
| 59 | MIN | Kate | RHP Tanner Witt | After selecting a solid if unspectacular college OF in Daniel Cabrera in the first, MIN seeks a frontline starter with a splashy second pick. Witt is the son of Marlins hitting coach Kevin Witt and while he's currently a two-way player with intriguing power, at 6'6" and not even 200 pounds yet, the younger Witt's future is on the mound, where he's currently working in the low 90s but has much more velo projected to come--especially since he's young for his draft class, and won't even be 18 on draft day. He's a long-term project but an especially fun challenge for the Twins organization, which is emerging as one of the better PD groups in baseball. |
| 60 | LAD | Joe | LHP Jared Shuster | The Dodgers luck out by seeing late riser Jared Shuster shoot up draft boards and land in their lap. There's some reliever qualities in Shuster, beings he struggled with command his sophomore year, but that took a step in the right direction in an abbreviated 2020. Velocity continues to tick up and his changeup now flashes plus at times. Slider continues to move toward average. |
| 61 | MIA | Joe | LHP Logan Allen | Logan Allen doesn't represent the biggest upside in the world, but he's a pretty good bet to reach his mid-to-back end rotation ceiling. 90-92 with a fastball/cutter mix, Allen also employs a good changeup and a bender that took a big step in 2020. Miami's system is chockfull of boom or bust prospects, so the additions of Asa Lacy and Allen present close to sure-things. |
| 62 | DET | Kate | OF Owen Caissie | After going with college players with their first two picks, Detroit reaches across Lake Erie into Ontario, Canada, for the 6'4" lefty slugger. Caissie is currently all projection and raw power but has fringe-average to above-average tools across the board and with the right development could blossom into a fearsome slugger. |
| 63 | STL | John | RHP Jeff Criswell | With a couple high-upside preps in the fold, the Cards go with a likely reliever in Criswell. Still, he's nothing to shake a stick at, with three pitches that could easily fit a multi-inning role or even stretch into starting with the right coaching. |
| 64 | SEA | John | SS/RHP Masyn Winn | Two middle infielders with their first two picks can't keep Seattle from pulling the trigger on a prep talent like Winn. Explosive on both sides of the ball, the Texan firecracker has approached or crested triple digits on both pitching and exit velocities. My inclination is to either lean Winn towards pitching first, or try him as a two-way player as 2018 sixth round pick Joey O'Brien was/is intended to be looked at. Winn's intensity is a good fit, and his youthful potential will be a great test for Seattle's self-lauded culture of development, as he profiles at this point or higher on both sides of the ball. |
| 65 | CIN | Kate | RHP Burl Carraway | Cincy has a nice balanced crew of prospects waiting on the precipice of MLB; Carraway can join them as a fast-moving reliever out of Dallas Baptist, a school that knows how to develop pitching. He's strictly a reliever, but adding to his late-inning intrigue: Carraway is a lefty who can run it up to 98 with ride to pair with a hammer curve. |
| 66 | LAD | Joe | SS Anthony Servideo | Is there another player in this class that fits that LA state of mind? Servideo and his big personality will fit right into the Dodgers culture, replacing a hole left by Jeter Downs in the Mookie Betts deal. Servideo is a slight built middle infielder who will undoubtedly stick at shortstop. He's got a lofty left-handed swing with quick, short hands that help drive the ball to all fields. He's an average hitter that could develop into solid average. He found some pop in 2020, though it remains to be seen if he'll ever reach his fringe average power ceiling. He's got quick actions and a good arm and should move quick. |
| 67 | SFG | Joe | RHP Nick Garcia | Finally, the Giants land their starter. Garcia, a Calif. native, is still entirely in his infancy on the mound, but to date, has shown promising stuff. At 6-foot-4, Garcia has an easy, fluid, repeatable delivery that should help him stay healthy. The arsenal currently features a mid-to-high 90s fastball with a slider/cutter that flashes above average. Good arm action on the pitch. If he can develop his changeup, he'll be well in line to stick in the rotation, otherwise he has a late-inning relief floor. |
| 68 | SFG | Kate | RHP Alex Santos | SF has a promising prospect core, many of whom are either knocking on the door of MLB or relatively close to it: C Joey Bart, OFs Heliot Ramos and Hunter Bishop, and a slew of INF prospects who range from safe floor to dramatic star potential. What this group is missing is any semblance of a frontline pitcher, and while SF might hunt that earlier in the draft, their choices so far here should leave them enough cash to take a swing at a high-upside prep arm. There are plenty of promising prep arms to choose from in SF's own backyard but here they reach all the way across the country to the Bronx for the projectable Santos, who currently throws in the 92-93 range but can touch 95 and has the frame (6'3"/185) to promise more velocity to come. He also has a slider/curve in the high 70s with good spin rate and had success with a changeup at showcase events last summer. As a cold-weather prospect he's a little developmentally behind his sunnier-located peers but there's plenty to dream on here. |
| 69 | NYM | John | 3B Yohandy Morales | The Mets pull the trigger on a prep with pro bloodlines. The Mets can dangle a reasonable bonus to Morales and insert him in a system with some of the best infield talent anywhere. |
| 70 | STL | John | RHP Christian Roa | St. Louis nabs a second consecutive college arm in Roa, who could well make it into a rotation spot. A four pitch mix with decent command is a strong foundation, and some tweaking to his fastball could easily help him make the most of a prototypical starter's frame |
| 71 | WAS | Kate | 3B/RHP Nolan McLean | The defending champs have time to rebuild their farm and develop a long-term project, and could keep McClean as a two-way player; scouts preferred him on the mound, with a solid fastball-curveball combo, but the 6'3" righty smoothed out a hitch in his swing last summer and impressed on both sides of the ball for Team USA. |
| 72 | HOU | Joe | RHP Clayton Beeter | In Houston's first selection of the draft, the go with a rising righthanded arm. Beeter was off to a hot start in 2020 after seeing an uptick in his stuff. He's currently a two-pitch power pitcher armed with a high 90s heater and a banger curve. Beeter has struggled with command during his tenure at Texas Tech, but reined that back in in 2020. At 6-foot-1 with erratic command at times, there's a reliever profile there as a floor, but if Houston believes he has starter traits, at 72 this is a steal. |
| 73 | DET | Joe | OF Enrique Badfield | Blessed with a giant bonus pool, Detroit swoops in and snags Badfield at just slightly overslot here at 73. Badfield is quite possibly the fastest player in the draft, and uses that trait in the field and on the basepaths. Badfield is a good, not great base stealer, though that should come with time. He'll absoutely stick in centerfield where his routes to the ball remain in development. The power tool at this stage is well below average, and the hit tool is also below average. The speed is a huge asset, and he'll have time to develop enough of a bat to contribute. |
| 74 | BAL | Kate | OF Petey Halpin | Baltimore continues to build their outfield of the future by pairing power-hitting prep OF Chase Davis with the toolsy Halpin. Power isn't necessarily the strongest of those tools at present but Halpin is the picture of easy athleticism in the outfield, with plus speed, good ball tracking skills, and a fearlessness at the wall that suggest he can hold down center at the next level. Halpin has a level lefty swing that's currently more geared for line drives but might show more power in the future as he adds muscle to a 6'0"/185 frame. |
| 75 | MIA | John | 3B/RHP Casey Schmitt | Despite some bat coil, Schmitt has an excellent balanced profile at the dish, and looked great with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League. He's likely better as a hitter than a pitcher, but the versatile profile fits the modern game well. A possibility of a part-time or full-time 3B or utility with the ability to handle bullpen work a la Michael Lorenzen would be a great get for the Fish. |
| 76 | KCR | John | RHP Joe Boyle | The titanic Notre Dame righty has the makeup and profile to handle a rotation role. The Royals will have to refine his command, but as Kansas City builds up their farm for their next contention cycle, a high-upside righty fits the bill. |
| 77 | TOR | Kate | RHP Ben Hernandez | Toronto doesn't have an excess of cash to throw around in this draft--their pool ranks ninth overall, even though they have the fifth pick--and depending on if Calabrese gives the Jays a hometown discount or not, that could impact what they do with this pick. But in the totally made-up-world of this draft, Toronto goes prep here with a high-upside pitcher in Ben Hernandez. Every prep prospect has a fastball-curveball/slider combo and is "working" on a changeup, but Hernandez already has a change, and true to his name it's the best in the high school class. The Illinois native had a strong summer, excelling on the showcase circuit, and could hear his name called well before this pick. |
| 78 | SEA | Kate | 3B A.J. Vukovich | Look, I only got to make one of the Mariners picks and it's the last one, so I'm throwing caution to the wind and selecting Wisconsin prep 3B A.J. Vukovich. Vuke's stock is trending down some after a weak summer performance at the Area Code games and for Team USA, but make no mistake, the 6'5" Beef-Boy-in-Training can really mash, with a swing geared to do damage and the athleticism to get the barrel through the zone quickly. A former basketball star, Vuke moves better than you'd expect from someone of his size with constantly active feet, and should be able to hold down an outfield corner if he has to move off third. He's also got a built-in friend in the organization in Jarred Kelenic, and has the bonus of having the most fun name to say in the draft. It's VUKE-OH-VICH time, baby. |
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