*Photo from the University of Minnesota Atheltics*
The 2020 MLB Draft is scheduled to take place June 10-11, which is about a week and a half away. With that date quickly approaching, it's time for the first ever Strikeout Central 2020 MLB Mock Draft. Here's who I see being taken in the first 29 draft picks that make up the first round.
1. Detroit Tigers: Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Arizona State
Torkelson is the draft's best offensive player in terms of hitting ability, power, and plate discipline this year, making the first overall pick an easy choice for Detroit.
2. Baltimore Orioles: Austin Martin, OF/3B, Vanderbilt
Torkelson and Martin are the consensus top two prospects in the draft, so with Torkelson going first, Baltimore makes the easy decision to take Martin second overall.
3. Miami Marlins: Asa Lacy, LHP, Texas A&M
Lacy is ranked as the best pitcher in the draft, and best prospect behind Torkelson and Martin, so the Marlins take Lacy in the hopes of him becoming the next ace in Florida.
4. Kansas City Royals: Nick Gonzales, SS/2B, New Mexico State
The Royals need an infield partner of Whit Merrifield, and Gonzales is one of the better prospects available. That, combined with the Royals taking 3 pitchers in the first round in 2018, will lead to them drafting Gonzales.
5. Toronto Blue Jays: Emerson Hancock, RHP, Georgia
Blue Jays executive Mark Shapiro said this offseason that the Blue Jays need pitching help badly, and with the top pitching prospect Lacy off the board, the Jays will fall back on the second best option in Hancock.
6. Seattle Mariners: Zac Veen, OF, Spruce Creek HS
Since the Royals took Gonzales over Veen at number 4, the Mariners take the best outfield prospect in the draft in the hopes that Veen and top prospect Jarred Kelenic can become outfield stalwarts in Seattle's future.
7. Pittsburgh Pirates: Heston Kjerstad, OF, Arkansas
The last Arkansas outfielder taken this high in the draft was Andrew Benintendi, which seems to have worked out well. That, combined with the Pirates apparently targeting college hitters and a hole in Pittsburgh's outfield after trading Starling Marte leads to them selecting Kjerstad at number 7.
8. San Diego Padres: Reid Detmers, LHP, Louisville
The Padres should have a choice between Detmers and Max Meyer at number 8, and I predict they lean the way of the southpaw Detmers.
9. Colorado Rockies: Max Meyer, RHP, Minnesota
The Rockies always need pitching help, so they'll take the final of the top 4 College Pitchers in Minnesota's Meyer with the number 9 pick.
10. Los Angeles Angels: Robert Hassell, OF, Independence HS
With the Padres and Rockies taking the Angels likely targets at pitcher, the Angels will scramble for the next best prospect, which in this case is Hassell.
11. Chicago White Sox: Patrick Bailey, C, North Carolina State
Bailey is the top catching prospect availble, and with the top 4 pitchers gone, the White Sox take Bailey 11th overall.
12. Cincinnati Reds: Austin Hendrick, OF, West Allegheny HS
The Reds appear to be in the running for Hassell and Hendrick as their top choices for the 12th overall pick, but with Hassell going to the Angels, the Reds will scoop up Hendrick instead.
13. San Francisco Giants: Garrett Crochet, LHP, Tennessee
Crochet has some of the best velocity of any pitcher in the 2020 draft class, and the Giants could be looking for the next Madison Bumgarner to anchor their rotation, and the lefty Crochet could be that guy.
14. Texas Rangers: Cade Cavalli, RHP, Oklahoma
The Rangers really want Veen, but since they don't have a realistic shot at him, they'll go the pitching route with Cavalli.
15. Philadelphia Phillies: Garrett Mitchell, OF, UCLA
Mitchell has 5 tool upside in the major leagues, but his power seems a bit concerning, as he only hit 6 homers in 121 college games. Regardless of that doubt, the Phillies will call his name 15th overall.
16. Chicago Cubs: Tyler Soderstrom, C, Turlock HS
In recent history, the Cubs have done a good job developing young hitters into formidable faces on their team, so they'll try and continue that with Soderstrom 16th overall.
17. Boston Red Sox: Mick Abel, RHP, Jesuit HS
After the Red Sox lost their second round pick in their sign stealing punishment, they'll want to take a very high ceiling player with their first pick. They'll be the first ones to take a high school pitcher by selecting Abel at 17.
18. Arizona Diamondbacks: Cole Wilcox, Georgia
Wilcox has high upside, and the D-Backs have been scouting pitching for a while, so with Wilcox likely being the best pitcher remaining, he'll go to Arizona at number 18.
19. New York Mets: Nick Bitsko, RHP, Central Bucks East HS
Bitsko reclassified into the 2020 class in January, so scouts haven't had a lot of time to see him throw, but he's got 3 good pitches with good command of the strike zone, so the Mets will give him a chance with the D-Backs scooping up Wilcox.
20. Milwaukee Brewers: Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF, Harvard-Westlake School
Crow-Armstrong has taken a fall from his top prospect rating a few years ago, and the Brewers have plenty of pitchers to choose from, but they'll go with Armstrong to try and develop him into the top prospect he was seen as a year ago.
21. St.Louis Cardinals: Clayton Beeter, RHP, Texas Tech
With the Brewers passing on pitching at 20, the Cardinals take one of the guys Milwaukee passed on, because they seem to have a good record of developing young pitching. Beeter has the opportunity to make the Brewers regret passing on him.
22. Washington Nationals: Justin Foscue, 2B, Mississippi State
Foscue has been rising on draft boards lately, and the Nationals will use the 22nd overall pick on the prospect in the middle of a rise.
23. Cleveland Indians: Dillon Dingler, C, Ohio State
Dingler has better athleticism and defense than most catchers in this class, and with the Indians looking for an anchor behind the plate in the future, they'll take Dingler.
24. Tampa Bay Rays: Jarred Kelly, RHP, Refugio HS
With Abel off the board at 17, Kelly becomes one of the best High School pitchers available, and the Rays will take him at 24 because of it.
25. Atlanta Braves: Bobby Miller, RHP, Louisville
Since moving into Louisville's rotation in March of 2019, Miller has significantly boosted his draft stock, nearly throwing a no hitter and showcasing the dominant tools needed for success, so the Braves will scoop him up.
26. Oakland Athletics: Chris McMahon, RHP, Miami
The Athletics love college level RHP's in recent years, and they'll continue that trend by taking McMahon 26th overall.
27. Minnesota Twins: Carmen Mlodzinski, RHP, South Carolina
The Twins have been aggressively scouting RHP's at the college level, and with Mlodzinski being the best one around at 27, the Twins will scoop him up.
28. New York Yankees: Ed Howard, SS, Mount Carmel HS
Since the Yankees lost a couple draft picks by signing Gerrit Cole, they'll look for quality talent with their first round selection. Howard is the draft's best pure shortstop on the board, so the Yankees will grab him up.
29. Los Angeles Dodgers: Slade Cecconi, RHP, Miami
The Dodgers will hop on the college RHP train to wrap up the first round with McMahon's rotation mate in Cecconi.
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