On June 10-11, the 2020 MLB Draft will be underway. Due to the current circumstances, the draft will be cut from 40 rounds to five rounds to cut costs. Scouts will have to rely on what they’ve seen early in the year and in previous years because of the cancellation of the 2020 high school and college season. Teams also have to rely on zoom meetings to meet with prospects. We’re living in a difficult time, but the MLB is trying to make the most of the situation. As we inch closer to June 10th, let’s take a look at the top five 2020 MLB Draft prospects.
Top Five 2020 MLB Draft Prospects
Spencer Torkelson (First Baseman, Arizona State)
With the first overall pick, the Detroit Tigers will likely select Spencer Torkelson out of Arizona State. As the draft gets closer, many strongly believe Torkelson will be the clear number one pick. He has a strong offensive upside to go along with the other young bats that the Tigers have. With his pure power, many believe he can hit his way up to the major leagues before any other prospect.
Austin Martin (Outfielder/Third Baseman, Vanderbilt)
With Vanderbilt’s level of play, it’s no wonder one of their players will be picked in the top five. Austin Martin is a versatile player who can play both in the outfield and infield, particularly at third base. With the ability to play multiple positions, Martin is an above-average defender with an exceptional bat. If he went first overall, no one would complain but the Baltimore Orioles are getting a real bright spot for the future as this is their second top-five pick in a row.
Asa Lacy (Left-Handed Pitcher, Texas A&M)
The title of the best pitcher or left-handed pitcher of the 2020 MLB Draft belongs to Asa Lacy out of Texas A&M. Teams look at Lacy like they look at Torkelson and Martin, dominant. Over the past three seasons, he’s posted a combined 2.32 ERA. He was on his way to having another phenomenal year before the season got canceled as he posted a 0.71 ERA in 24 innings. The break and spin on his slider is what makes him so highly rated. The Miami Marlins are looking for a starter and passing on Lacy would be risky because of his past.
Emerson Hancock (Right-Handed Pitcher, Georgia)
The Kansas City Royals could go either direction with this pick. They could add to a good lineup of young pitchers or they could add a bat to a young lineup. In this situation, they could go with Emerson Hancock out of Georgia. His performance in the SEC no less has been impressive. Hancock has good body control and can pound the strike zone with a flurry of pitches. One of his go-to pitches is a slider that has great break. His arsenal is impressive and teams looking for a starter would love to have a pitcher like Hancock.
Nick Gonzales (Second Baseman, New Mexico State)
There could be an argument that Nick Gonzales could move up at least one spot but he’s slated just fine in the top five. He’s well known for his tremendous bat speed and pure hitting skill. He’s an average defender with a good bat and that’s the common theme in today’s game. Him winning the 2019 Cape Cod League MVP helps his case on being a top-five pick. The Toronto Blue Jays have plenty of young bats that look good and one more wouldn’t hurt.
Around The Diamond
Although we have an MLB Draft this season, that doesn’t mean we’ll have a season. Many are hopeful that progress will be made in the next few days. The importance of this year’s draft is critical for a lot of teams given the current situation. It’ll be an interesting draft for sure but baseball fans are happy that they’ll get to see some sort of live event in their sport.
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