2020 MLB Mock Draft

The first round of the 2020 MLB Draft begins today!

Date: June 10th and 11th
Location: Omaha, Nebraska (but virtually)
Network: MLB, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes

We are on the cusp of the third virtual draft to occur (after the WNBA and NFL)! This one will have 160 total selections across five rounds. This is down from the 1,217 rounds as per the agreement between MLB and the MLBPA on March 26, 2020. We didn’t see a lot of trading last year, and given how the virtual NFL draft went this year I’m going pretty strait-laced.

1. Detroit Tigers. Spencer Torkelson (1B, Arizona State) – This seems to be the one pick I feel confident is right.
2. Baltimore Orioles. Austin Martin (3B, Vanderbilt) – I see this as a three-person Tier 1. I could see Asa being an option but I think Baltimore goes with a phenomenal hitter.
3. Miami Marlins. Asa Lacy (LHP, Texas A&M) – This leaves Asa as the third choice of the three. Think of this as being in this year’s fantasy baseball draft—you take whatever is left from Mike Trout, Christian Yelich and Ronald Acuña.
4. Kansas City Royals. Nick Gonzalez (2B, New Mexico State) – As I mentioned a few weeks ago, they are looking heavy into the talented hitter and I think they end up going with Gonzalez.
5. Toronto Blue Jays. Zac Veen (OF, Spurce Creek HS) – He’s young for sure and there is risk, but he also offers a ton of upside.
6. Seattle Mariners. Max Meyer (RHP, Minnesota) He’s the most pro-ready among the pitchers. I would also argue his ceiling is on the lower compared to some of his counterparts in the top dozen picks.
7. Pittsburgh Pirates. Heston Kjerstad (OF, Arkansas) – He’s not the MI that they are likely looking for. I could see them thinking of a Patrick Bailey, but I think the talent is ripe for them here.
8. San Diego Padres. Emerson Hancock (RHP, Georgia) – After years of talented bats, the influx of Padres pitchers will be coming next.
9. Colorado Rockies. Robert Hassell (OF, Independence High School) – The Rockies have been grabbing pitchers for years and it sounds like they want the early bats in this class.
10. Los Angeles Angels. Patrick Bailey (C, North Carolina State) – It sounds like a toss-up for LA, who is looking at a lot of options at pick 10. I think they go with a future catcher for the franchise. Add his pedigree to the pitching they have up-and-coming and it could mean wonders.
11. Chicago White Sox. Reid Detmers (LHP, Louisville) – I think Detmers slips as players do all the time to the White Sox who snatch him up. This is a talented arm. His first three starts were unbelievable, but he hit a wall hard after that.
12. Cincinnati Reds. Pete Crow-Armstrong (OF, Harvard-Westlake) – I wish the Reds would grab Cavalli or Abel here, but they seem to want a younger bat. This means Crow-Armstrong is a strong likelihood.
13. San Francisco Giants. Mick Abel (RHP, Jesuit High School) – As I’ve said, I think Abel could easily be a top two or three arm in this year’s draft, but the team that drafts him has to be patient. The Giants—with their recent success and clear rebuild mode—have time to be patient.
14. Texas Rangers. Tyler Soderstrom (C, Turlock High School) – The Rangers will have Soderstrom, who is among the deep catcher class, fall to them. The Giants like Soderstrom, but Abel will be too good to pass up. In the same fashion, Soderstrom will be too good to pass up here.
15. Philadelphia Phillies. Cade Cavalli (RHP, Oklahoma) – Drafting pitching has not been fortuitous for the Phillies lately, and there are red flags with Cavalli between his experience, injury history and time as a hitter. That said, he’s got size, a wicked slider and good mechanics.
16. Chicago Cubs. Garret Mitchell (OF, UCLA) – He is one of the more well-rounded players in the draft and I think he fits in well with what Chicago has been able to do lately with some college hitters.
17. Boston Red Sox. Austin Hendrick (OF, West Allegheny High School) – It sounds like the Red Sox want upside and he has top 10 upside with his abilities with the bat.
18. Arizona Diamondbacks. Ed Howard (SS, Mount Carmel High School) – While there is a plethora of talented pitchers here, the Diamondbacks are looking for bats and Howard is solid.
19. New York Mets. Nick Bitsko (RHP, Central Bucks High School) – The Mets are daring to see the upside from a high school pitcher, and Bitsko fits as a high upside pick at this point in the draft. They will be willing to pay the bonus money too.
20. Milwaukee Brewers. Garret Crochet (LHP, Tennessee) – Definite risk around his health but if he can stay healthy, there is legitimate upside for a program who would love to have that arm in their rotation.
21. St. Louis Cardinals. Tanner Burns (RHP, Auburn) – A solid pitcher who can go deep and is reliable. That screams Cardinal classic pick to me.
22. Washington Nationals. Jared Kelley (RHP, Refugio High School) – He has the power and physical dominance that fits right in with a Scherzer, Strasburg type.
23. Cleveland Indians. Dillon Dingler (C, Ohio State) – Seems like the Indians have a decent pipeline of pitchers and fielders. A solid catcher from the home town state wouldn’t hurt.
24. Tampa Bay Rays. Cole Wilcox (RHP, Georgia). An excellent strikeout pitcher, I am salivating at what the Rays farm system, who are great with pitchers, could do with Cole’s arm.
25. Atlanta Braves. Chris McMahon (RHP, Miami) – An all around talent who plays multiple sports, this seems to fit in well with the Braves who have maximized their talented prospects recently.
26. Oakland Athletics. J.T. Ginn (RHP, Mississippi State) – Someone who entered the season as a top 10 pick, but Tommy John surgery will have him out for a year. The Athletics can wait for the right value and that’s what this is.
27. Minnesota Twins. Justin Foscue (2B, Mississippi State) – Some serious talent in the Bulldogs system coming into the pros. He’s safe and reliable, not bad for 27^th overall.
28. New York Yankees. Bryce Jarvis (RHP, Duke) – New York has been consistently plagued with injured pitchers and someone who threw a perfect game has a lot of upside and dominating qualities.
29. Los Angeles Dodgers. Jordan Westburg (SS, Mississippi State) – I am bullish on the Mississippi State players this year if it isn’t obvious. I think the Dodgers are looking at infield players as they build up their prospect rankings and this could be a valuable one to hold. He has power and that is a big thing in MLB these days.