Last weekend was frantic as many of Major League Baseball’s seller’s sought takers for their movable pieces for prospects as they look beyond 2020. As roughly two-thirds of MLB’s franchises are fighting for space in this year’s expanded postseason, the bottom third find their clubs settling into the draft order for next summer’s MLB draft.
The draft order is determined by worst record to best record. Currently, the Pittsburgh Pirates hold the number one spot followed by the Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers heading into Sunday’s action.
The coronavirus pandemic has canceled prep and college seasons this past season. Next spring’s games will be crucial in scouting the draft class of 2021. A lot can change in the next ten months. Based on what we’ve seen from the eligible players leading up to the stoppage of play, here’s a look at the talent your favorite losing team is playing for in the final three weeks of 2020.
Everybody’s Number One Pick – Kumar Rocker
Rocker has been the consensus number one pick of the 2021 MLB draft since committing to Vanderbilt in 2018. Rocker has been great and it would have to take something catastrophic to change that logic at this point. The MLB franchise that finishes with the worst record in 2020 will draft him. Rocker’s 6-foot-4-inch, 255-pound frame explodes towards hitters with a high-90’s fastball and a nasty slider that will inevitably lead to a quick ascension through the minor leagues. Rocker will make any general manager and scouting director with the first overall selection’s job very easy next July.
Top Five Talent – Jack Leiter, Jud Fabian, Brady House
Two college players and one prep player stand out secondary to Rocker when reviewing most scouting reports and draft previews. Rocker’s Vanderbilt teammate, right-handed pitcher Jack Leiter has made it clear he intends to enter the draft. He should join Rocker as one of the top selections in the draft. Florida outfielder Jud Fabian appears to be universally agreed upon as one of the top four prospects in next year’s class. Prep shortstop and pitcher, Brady House is the most highly regarded high school talent in the draft. Most MLB clubs see House as more of a position player. That should not stop him from being considered one of the top five selections in the Class of 2021. Only an emerging dark horse talent or a team selecting players based on specific position needs should move these three out of the top six selections in this draft.
Best of the Rest – Adrian Del Castillo, Matt McLain, Jaden Hill, Christian Little
There are a dozen players that are on most scouts top twenty lists. These four players often seem to find themselves placed in top ten positions. Left-handed hitting Miami catcher Adrian Del Castillo could find himself drafted in the mid-section of the top ten picks along with UCLA shortstop and outfielder Matt McLain. The talented, high-upside, Jaden Hill from Louisiana State also could rise close to the top five selection in the draft. After Brady House, right-handed prep pitcher Christian Little is most commonly looked at as a high-reward arm that is most deserving of a top ten selection in the 2021 draft. Two or more of these players could ultimately be top five selections with strong 2021 prep or college seasons.
Don’t Sleep on These Five – Ethan Wilson, Luke Leto, Braylon Bishop, Tyree Reed, Alex Binelas
Five players who could find themselves elevated into the second tier of top prospects in the 2021 draft class. As play resumes next spring, these five could see their stock rise and find themselves selected before some of the previously discussed talent. South Alabama’s Ethan Wilson and Arkansas’ Braylon Bishop are the two best college outfielders following Fabian and McLain and could find themselves climb the board. High School outfielder Tyree Reed and shortstop/pitcher Luke Leto are gifted athletes with projectable talent. Both are capable of being perennial surprise top six selection. Alex Binelas of Louisville might find himself in the top ten if the talented left-handed hitting third baseman continues to improve on the power displayed during his freshman 2019 season.
Now that we’ve discussed the talent, here’s how the top ten selections in the 2021 Major League Baseball draft would be set if the season ended Saturday, September 5.
- Pittsburgh Pirates
- Boston Red Sox
- Texas Rangers
- Kansas City Royals
- Washington Nationals
- Arizona Diamondbacks
- Los Angeles Angels
- Seattle Mariners
- New York Mets
- Cincinnati Reds
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