The Mets opened the 2020 MLB Draft by selecting their center fielder of the future in Pete Crow-Armstong and were looking to add some college pitching to polish off their farm.
They accomplished just that with their selection of Mississippi right-hander J.T. Ginn.
Ginn, 21, checks in at 6-foot-2 and 192 pounds. He was a draft-eligible junior but has been on scouts’ radar for almost a decade.
After getting drafted out of high school in 2018 by the Dodgers, Ginn decided to test his luck and attend Mississippi State. Ginn had to undergo Tommy John surgery a couple of months ago and was ranked in many top-20 expert lists before his injury.
Ginn’s fastball can hit 98 MPH and he has a dandy wipeout sider that scouts have given a 65 grade. He also has a solid changeup.
The Mets selected a few cheaper draft picks to help soften the blow so they can sign Ginn, who is a former teammate of Mets 2019 draft pick Jake Mangum. The two know each other from their Hail State days and it’s safe to say the latter was excited.
LETS GOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! @JT_Ginn3
— Jake Mangum (@jakemangum15) June 11, 2020
Here is a breakdown from MLB Pipeline:
The Dodgers selected Ginn 30th overall out of a Mississippi high school in 2018 but didn’t have the money to meet his asking price after paying second-rounder Michael Grove an over-slot bonus. He earned Southeastern Conference freshman of the year honors in his college debut, capping his season with six scoreless innings in a College World Series start against Louisville. Projected as a likely 2020 first-rounder as a Draft-eligible sophomore, he made just one three-inning appearance this spring before requiring Tommy John surgery.
When healthy, Ginn usually deals at 91-95 MPH and tops out at 97 with some of the best fastball life in the 2020 Draft, as his heater will run and sink and bore at various times. His wipeout slider can be just as difficult to hit, combining mid-80s velocity with two-plane depth. He also gets good downward action on his changeup, which shows flashes of becoming a plus offering.
Despite the movement on his pitches, Ginn controls and commands them well, giving up just 19 walks and one homer in 86.1 innings as a freshman. He has toned down his delivery since high school, lessening concerns that he’ll wind up in the bullpen in the long run. He’s athletic but already came with durability concerns after a sore arm limited him at times during the second half of the 2019 season.
The stats, data, and analysis prove that the Mets truly got a potential steal with the 52nd pick.
.@rapsodo metrics on #Mets second rounder J.T. Ginn: pic.twitter.com/Oc1Y2emIzD
— Jacob Resnick (@Jacob_Resnick) June 11, 2020
