2020 MLB Mock Draft, Big Board, Q&A

This time a decade ago, Bryce Harper was a lock to be taken first overall with a high school kid named Manny Machado likely come off the board in the top three picks. The White Sox took a chance at pick #13 on small school kid who many figured to be a future reliever. Chris Sale ended up becoming their bonafide ace. Likewise, The Marlins gambled on a wiry upside outfielder named Christian Yelich.

Tonight, we will be introduced to the future superstars of baseball with the 2020 MLB Draft aired on ESPN at 7 PM Eastern. Before you tune in, I’ll give you everything you need to know in quick digestible fashion. We’ll answer some questions ranging from highest upside to lottery tickets and even a glimpse at 2021’s draft class before I project each of the first 37 picks at give you my top 60 big board.

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Who has the highest fantasy potential?

Emerson Hancock (RHP – Georgia)
Typically, this title would belong to some hitter, but none of the top three hitting prospects in this class have enough speed to be that five-category fantasy stud. Hancock, meanwhile, is a workhorse in the making at 6’4″, 213 pounds with a ridiculous slider and overpowering fastball with great movement.

#2 Mick Abel (RHP – Jesuit HS, OR)
#3 Zac Veen (OF – Spruce Creek HS, FL)
#4 Spencer Torkelson (1B – Arizona State)
#5 Austin Hendrick (OF – West Allegheny HS, PA)
#6 Garrett Mitchell (OF – UCLA)
#7 Nick Gonzales (SS/2B – New Mexico State)
#8 Nick Bitsko (RHP – Central Bucks East HS, PA)
#9 Asa Lacy (LHP – Texas A&M)
#10 Austin Martin (OF/3B – Vanderbilt)

Who are the safest players?

#1 Austin Martin (3B – Vanderbilt)
Much like Anthony Rendon, Martin’s only one tool that stands out is his approach at the plate. This is a likely .380 on-base guy at the big league level who consistently hits 20-30 homers with double-digit steals. Not only that. but Martin is a quality defender at several positions.

#2 Spencer Torkelson (1B – Arizona St)
#3 Reid Detmers (LHP – Louisville)
#4 Asa Lacy (LHP – Texas A&M)
#5 Max Meyer (RHP – Minnesota)
#6 Nick Gonzales (SS/2B – New Mexico State)
#7 Emerson Hancock (RHP – Georgia)
#8 Garrett Mitchell (OF – UCLA)
#9 Robert Hassell (OF – Independence HS, TN)
#10 Justin Foscue (2B – Mississippi State)

Who are the big lottery tickets?

#1 Mick Abel (RHP – Jesuit HS, OR)
There have been times where this 6’4″ high schooler was thought to be the best player in this class. His velocity dipped a bit last summer, though, then no one was able to see him pitch this Spring because his high school was shut down before Jesuit played their first game. There is a chance Abel falls out of the top 15 because of signability concerns. If someone is willing to take the chance, they may just end up with a perennial Cy Young contender.

#2 Nick Bitsko (RHP – Central Bucks East HS, PA)
#3 Cole Wilcox (RHP – Georgia)
#4 Jordan Walker (3B – Decatur HS, GA)
#5 Blaze Jordan (1B – DeSoto Central HS, MS)
#6 Masyn Winn (RHP/SS – Kingwood HS, TX)
#7 J.T. Ginn (RHP – Mississippi State)
#8 Garrett Crochet (LHP – Tennessee)
#9 Clayton Beeter (RHP – Texas Tech)
#10 Chase Davis (OF – Franklin HS, CA)

What does next year’s draft class look like?

It feels like a decade that we’ve been waiting for Kumar Rocker to be made available through the MLB Draft. This 6’5″, 250 pound fireballer is the favorite to become the 1.01 pick but his teammate in the Vanderbilt rotation is well within striking distance to take the top spot. With 12 months to go, much can happen, though. Brady House looks like one of the top high school prospects in quite some time so it wouldn’t be a surprise whatsoever if he became the can’t miss 1.01 pick before next spring.

#1 Kumar Rocker (RHP – Vanderbilt)
#2 Jack Leiter (RHP – Vanderbilt)
#3 Brady House (SS/RHP – Winder-Barrow HS, GA)
#4 Jud Fabian (OF – Florida)
#5 Luke Leto (SS – Portage Central HS, MI)
#6 Mike Vasil (RHP – Virginia)
#7 Braylon Bishop (OF – Texarkana HS, AR)
#8 Matt McLain (2B – UCLA)
#9 Jonathan Cannon (RHP – Georgia)
#10 Robby Martin (OF – Florida St)

First Round Mock Draft

#1 Detroit Tigers – Spencer Torkelson (1B – Arizona St)
#2 Baltimore Orioles – Nick Gonzalez (2B – New Mexico St)
#3 Miami Marlins – Asa Lacy (LHP – Texas A&M)
#4 Kansas City Royals – Austin Martin (2B – Vanderbilt)
#5 Toronto Blue Jays – Emerson Hancock (RHP – Georgia)
#6 Seattle Mariners – Zack Veen (OF – Spruce Creek HS, FL)
#7 Pittsburgh Pirates – Austin Hendrick (OF – West Allegheny, PA)
#8 San Diego Padres – Mick Abel (RHP – Jesuit HS, OR)
#9 Colorado Rockies – Heston Kjerstad (OF – Arkansas)
#10 Los Angeles Angels – Max Meyer (RHP – Minnesota)
#11 Chicago White Sox – Reid Detmers (LHP – Louisville)
#12 Cincinnati Reds – Garrett Crochet (LHP – Tennessee)
#13 San Francisco Giants – Patrick Bailey (C – North Carolina St)
#14 Texas Rangers – Robert Hassell III (OF – Independence HS, TN)
#15 Philadelphia Phillies – Cade Cavalli (RHP – Oklahoma)
#16 Chicago Cubs – Garrett Mitchell (OF – UCLA)
#17 Boston Red Sox – Pete Crow-Armsrong (OF – Westlake HS, CA)
#18 Arizona Diamondbacks – Ed Howard (SS – Mt. Carmel HS, IL)
#19 New York Mets – Jared Kelley (RHP – Refugio HS, TX)
#20 Milwaukeee Brewers – Tyler Soderstrom (C – Turlock HS, CA)
#21 St. Louis Cardinals – Nick Bitsko (RHP – Central Bucks East HS, PA)
#22 Washington Nationals – Cole Wilcox (RHP – Georgia)
#23 Cleveland Indians – Jordan Walker (3B – Decatur HS, GA)
#24 Tampa Bay Rays – Nick Loftin (SS – Baylor)
#25 Atlanta Braves – Blaze Jordan (1B – DeSoto Central HS, MS)
#26 Oakland A’s – Justin Foscue (2B – Mississippi St)
#27 Minnesota Twins – Tanner Burns (RHP – Auburn)
#28 New York Yankees – Dillon Dingler (C – Ohio St)
#29 Los Angeles Dodgers – J.T. Ginn (RHP – Mississippi St)

Competitive Balance Round A

#30 Baltimore Orioles – Carson Montgomery (RHP – Florida)
#31 Pittsburgh Pirates – Clayton Beeter (RHP – Texas Tech)
#32 Kansas City Royals – Alika Williams (SS – Arizona St)
#33 Arizona Diamondbacks – Drew Romo (C – The Woodlands HS, TX)
#34 San Diego Padres – Justin Lange (RHP – Llano HS, TX)
#35 Colorado Rockies – Carmen Mlodzinski (RHP – South Carolina)
#36 Cleveland Indians – Austin Wells (C – Arizona)
#37 Tampa Bay Rays – Casey Martin (SS – Arkansas)