2020 MLB Draft Speculation

[BostonRoss]

Well, it's not like we will have anything else to watch on June 10-11. Might as well drag out the draft.

I predict the Phillies will draft Jalen Hurts.

[zambonir]

Is Jalen the ballplayer Kyler is?

I definitely don't have a problem with a made-for-TV draft given this year's circumstances. If anything it is overdue for them to make it a more entertaining product. As much time as people spend on this board talking and speculating about drafts and prospects, why should the talking heads be any different?

The remote thing will probably make it better rather than worse. The NFL draft was pretty entertaining.

[andyb]

They've got 150 picks (plus presumably all the competitive balance and QO-related picks), so maybe 170 picks total? They can do that in two hours, at 30 seconds between picks (which has been the standard for rounds 11-40, and used to be the standard for the whole draft back in the pre-TV days).

37 picks in the first round. 123 in rounds 2-5. The 2-day draft does not bother me. It is a 3-day draft these days normally and I think the first 2 days are televised. If day 2 is rounds 2-5 as opposed to 2-10 it is half as long, though the TV part is really about the first few rounds.

Let them telecast it. Still nowhere near as long as the NFL which not only stretches 3 days but allows way too much time between picks. What else do most of us have to watch?

[julio]

What else do most of us have to watch?

Well, this is just my personal view, but I find the "off" option pretty compelling!

Seriously... I’ve managed to completely clear my backlog of Science weeklies, re-read most of Asimov's Foundation and Robot novels, and attend to several yard/garden projects because of the lack of distractions. Currently working through Susan Jacoby's second edition of The Age of American Unreason...and my sons have persuaded me to begin exploring a computer game called "Endless Sky." The TV is mostly off - the only thing it’s contributed in the past couple of days is (thanks to Roku and TuneIn) a classical music feed while I’ve been reading.

This "stay at home" regimen isn’t so bad...

[schillingfan]

The Foundation series was the first science fiction I ever read : in graduate school no less. I’m a sci fi fan for life. Asimov was the best. Also same roommate who gave me aFoundation gave me Lord of the R8ngs and introduced me to the original Star Trek reruns. 1977. A great year!

[Squire]

My Draft Board for the Phillies

1. Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Arizona State
2. Asa Lacy, LHP, Texas A&M
3. Austin Martin, 3B, Vanderbilt
4. Emerson Hancock, RHP, Georgia
5. Nick Gonzalez, 2B, New Mexico State
6. Reid Detmers, LHP, Louisville
7. Garrett Mitchell, OF, UCLA
8. Heston Kjerstad, OF, Arkansas
9. Max Meyer, RHP, Minnesota
10. Zac Veen, OF, HS
11. Garrett Crochet, LHP, UTennessee
12. Austin Hendrick, OF, HS
13. Cade Cavalli, RHP, UOklahoma
14. Robert Hassell, OF, HS
15. Tyler Soderstrom, C, HS

I'm not including any HS pitchers. I'm not that high on Patrick Bailey, nor HS OFs with questionable power projection.

[fish]

My Draft Board for the Phillies

Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Arizona State
Asa Lacy, LHP, Texas A&M
Austin Martin, 3B, Vanderbilt
Emerson Hancock, RHP, Georgia
Nick Gonzalez, 2B, New Mexico State
Reid Detmers, LHP, Louisville
Garrett Mitchell, OF, UCLA
Heston Kjerstad, OF, Arkansas
Max Meyer, RHP, Minnesota
Zac Veen, OF, HS
Garrett Crochet, LHP, UTennessee
Austin Hendrick, OF, HS
Cade Cavalli, RHP, UOklahoma
Robert Hassell, OF, HS
Tyler Soderstrom, C, HS

Pretty good list- Lacy has a great pitchers body and pretty good lefty fastball, but the breaking stuff doesn't always look very sharp. Gonzalez looks like a sure-thing hitter for average and extra-bases. My list would bump Veen at #6 (looks like Yelich) and Ed Howard up to #9.

The more I watch Ed Howard's showcase games, the more impressed I am with him. I'd give him an 80 body for a shortstop- like Tatis Jr, great current athletic build with room to get stronger without growing out of shortstop. He just jumps out as one of the best players on the field in national tournaments for his game-play, athleticism and body control.

Detmer's curve is too soft for me to get excited about.

1. Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Arizona State
2. Austin Martin, 3B, Vanderbilt
3. Nick Gonzalez, 2B, New Mexico State
4. Asa Lacy, LHP, Texas A&M
5. Emerson Hancock, RHP, Georgia
6. Heston Kjerstad, OF, Arkansas
7. Zac Veen, OF, HS
8. Ed Howard, SS HS
9. Cade Cavalli, RHP, UOklahoma
10. Austin Hendrick, OF, HS
11. Robert Hassell, OF, HS
12. Garrett Mitchell, OF, UCLA
13. Max Meyer, RHP, Minnesota
14. Mic Abel, RHP, HS
15. Reid Detmers, LHP, Louisville
    16 Garrett Crochet, LHP, UTennessee

[gmwannabe]

if they would get those guys for their 15 picks, i would be thrilled. But I thought there were only 5 rounds?
gm

[zambonir]

It's a draft board, I believe these are all potential first-round picks. You take whoever is still left (and highest) on the list when your pick comes up. If Squire is your GM.

[Squire]

I trust your scouting ability more than my own.

[fish]

I trust your scouting ability more than my own.

There must be a giff of appreciation to reply with if I knew how to do that.

[bigegypt0417]

The more I read about Tanner Burns the more I like him for the phillies...sounds alot like Aaron Nola.

[bkeich]

Spencer Torkelson, 1B, Arizona State
Austin Martin, 3B, Vanderbilt
Nick Gonzalez, 2B, New Mexico State
Asa Lacy, LHP, Texas A&M
Emerson Hancock, RHP, Georgia
Heston Kjerstad, OF, Arkansas
Zac Veen, OF, HS
Ed Howard, SS HS
Cade Cavalli, RHP, UOklahoma
Austin Hendrick, OF, HS
Robert Hassell, OF, HS
Garrett Mitchell, OF, UCLA
Max Meyer, RHP, Minnesota
Mic Abel, RHP, HS
Reid Detmers, LHP, Louisville
16 Garrett Crochet, LHP, UTennessee

Barring a Great pick, I dont really like a 1B as a rookie 1st round pick. The simple fact is that we are hopefully going to extend Realmuto and we have Harper, who will both be in there early-mid 30s by the time this guy starts to contribute. At least one of them will need to occupy 1B (if they are still with us).

I hate the idea of young 1B unless they hit like a young Howard. 1B is where you stash older players that cant really play the field anymore but can still hit, and a successful team probably has a couple guys like that they they signed when they were 28-31 years old to contracts that are now a bit less wonderful to digest.

[fish]

Barring a Great pick, I dont really like a 1B as a rookie 1st round pick.

You don't have to worry about the Phillies taking Torkelson as he's like going to be the No 1 pick in the draft. The point of the exercise was just to line up 15 names, and then you know at least one of them will be there at 15 for the Phillies when the time comes.

[zambonir]

Don't forget, there's going to be a DH. Once that is the case I'd be surprised if Realmuto ever plays 1B regularly, if you're trying to ease his load why even put him on his feet? 1B is still a very active position too - you could stick him in RF or LF and the overall load of running and throwing might still be lower.

I imagine Harper might also end up in LF/DH before he agrees to be put out to infield pasture.

Anyway I assume if Squire (or any team or prognosticator) is ranking a 1B ahead of a 3B and a 2B he actually is that much better offensively (or the other guys aren't strong defensively), as there's no way positional value isn't part of any overall evaluation.

(Ha, right, and they have no chance of getting him. So Squire/Fish, which 4 or 5 guys on the list do you think might actually be there? I guess that answer is already up thread.)

[fish]

(Ha, right, and they have no chance of getting him. So Squire/Fish, which 4 or 5 guys on the list do you think might actually be there? I guess that answer is already up thread.)

If you take Squire's last 5 guys and my last 5, when you should definitely have 5 guys in that mix available. Which 5? who knows.

[Squire]

Latest Mayo mock gave us Soderstrom

[Squire]

I feel like the Phillies pick will be one of the following:

RHP Cade Cavalli
LHP Garrett Crochet
OF Austin Hendrick
OF Garrett Mitchell
C Tyler Soderstrom
C Patrick Bailey

Neither the Phillies recent experience or the Yankees recent experience would seem to make a HS pitcher the first round pick. Hopefully the Blue Jays, Padres, Angels, Giants, Rangers, take HS guys

[fish]

I know they keep calling Soderstrom a catcher, but he’s not even the catcher on his high school team. It would be silly to waste years trying to get his defense up to the level of his offense if he’s as good a hitter as they say. Seems like a pretty unlikely pick, though the Phils did pick the unathletic version of him in Cornelius Randolph.

[Squire]

Yeah....I don't ever get the sense that Mayo has good sources in the industry as to actual connections between players and teams. I wouldn't hate the Soderstom pick even assuming he has to move off of catcher.