2020 MLB Mock Draft: Fifth Edition

Here is the fifth edition of my 2020 MLB Mock Draft.

1. Detroit Tigers- Spencer Torkelson, First Baseman/Left Fielder, Arizona State: It seems like Torkelson is the overwhelming favorite to go first overall. Torkelson was one of the most-feared hitter in all of college baseball throughout the last three seasons. There is a chance that he also blows through the minors and is in the bigs sooner than people expect.

2. Baltimore Orioles- Austin Martin, Third Baseman/Center Fielder, Vanderbilt: The Orioles have a tough decision as they can go with Martin or the best pitcher in the draft with Asa Lacy. They go with Martin dazzles with a hit tool that is easily plus, utilizing a swing with natural loft and double plus bat speed.

3. Miami Marlins- Asa Lacy, LHP, Texas A&M: The Marlins are happy with whomever falls to them whether it's Lacy or Austin Martin. Lacy is someone that is equipped with a four pitch mix, two of which already grade at plus-or-better (fastball and slider) with another (changeup) seemingly on its way.

4. Kansas City Royals- Zac Veen, Outfielder, Spruce Creek HS (FL): The Royals go with the fast rising prep school prospect here with Veen. Many believe he's the best high school player in the draft and his vision at the plate looks advanced well beyond his age and allows his violent swing to barrel up balls with ease, leading to the hit tool grading at average while projecting better at peak.

5. Toronto Blue Jays- Emerson Hancock, RHP, Georgia: There's a case to be made that Hancock is the best pitcher in the draft, but he probably is the safest bet in terms of pure starting pitchers. Hancock presents the same four pitch mix as Asa Lacy (fastball, slider, curveball, changeup) with less electricity but more command and polish.

6. Seattle Mariners- Max Meyer, LHP, Minnesota: The Mariners have options with this selection and here I have them taking a risk with Meyer. The risk here with Meyer is that he was a former closer that doesn't have much starting experience. The Mariners are a team that can somewhat afford to take the risk due to their loaded farm system.

7. Pittsburgh Pirates- Nick Gonzalez, Second Baseman, New Mexico State: The Pirates land a steal here with this selection. Gonzales is one of the more interesting prospects as we head closer to the draft. Folks are skeptical of him due to putting up great numbers against lesser competition and some people think he won't be able to stick at second base.

8. San Diego Padres- Robert Hassell III, OF, Independence HS (TN): The Padres could go in a number of directions here and they go for the prep player in Hassell. He is someone that could go higher than this due to his pure hitting ability and his bat control.

9. Colorado Rockies- Heston Kjerstad, Outfielder, Arkansas: The Rockies are a team that really should be going with a pitcher with this pick, but there's rumors that they don't love the high end pitchers in a pitching rich draft. Kjerstad is someone that has a unique, complex left handed swing he brings to the table with double plus raw power who many compare to Philadelphia's Rhys Hoskins.

10. Los Angeles Angels- Reid Detmers, LHP, Louisville: This would be a great selection for the Angels, who badly need pitching in their farm system. The curveball is unspeakably good, which is on all of the time. He pounds the strike zone great and is great at getting swings and misses.

11. Chicago White Sox- Patrick Bailey, Catcher, North Carolina State: The White Sox are a bit of a wild card with this selection. Bailey is a defense first catcher who's shown great athleticism and a switch hitter that's shown power on both sides with solid tools in front and Bailey brings a special combination of the two.

12. Cincinnati Reds- Austin Hendrick, Outfielder, West Allegheny HS (PA): Hendrick is one of the fast rising prospects as the draft is a week away. Hendrick is perhaps the best power hitting prep player in this draft although there are concerns due to a high number of strikeouts.

13. San Francisco Giants- Garrett Crochet, LHP, Tennessee: This would be a nice pick for the Giants as they land a very good college arm with this selection, who has drawn comparison to Madison Bumgarner. Inconsistency and an early season injury is what will probably cost him from going higher than this, but with a plus slider and a developing changeup, the Tennessee product has some of the best raw stuff in this class.

14. Texas Rangers- Garrett Mitchell, Center Fielder, UCLA: Mitchell is a prospect that is dropping in a lot of mock drafts and could drop further than this on draft night. He is a great athlete and generates a ton of power and speed, but there is risk due to his swing and miss concerns and due to his Type-1 diabetes.

15. Philadelphia Phillies- Tyler Soderstrom, Catcher/Outfielder, Turlock HS (CA): The Phillies could go in a number of directions here with this selection. Soderstrom is one of the best all-around high school bats in the country and could go higher than this since he is very well rounded.

16. Chicago Cubs- Cade Cavalli, RHP, Oklahoma: The Cubs land a possible steal with this selection. Cavalli was the ace of the Sooners's staff who people are mixed about. This could be a risky pick due to the flaws he has and injury issues. What makes him intriguing is his ability to strike guys out and his great fastball and a devastating slider.

17. Boston Red Sox- Mick Abel, RHP, Jesuit HS (OR): A top prospect who was hurt by the shortened 2020 season falls here to the Red Sox. The righty has a clean, fluid delivery that offers projection and the potential for him to have three above-average pitches. He has all the makings of being a top-of-the-rotation arm.

18. Arizona Diamondbacks- Pete-Crow Armstrong, Outfielder, Harvard-Westlake HS (CA): The Diamondbacks go with an upside play here with Armstrong, who could possibly go higher than this. The left-handed-hitting center fielder has five-tool potential and is a prototypical, top-of-the-lineup hitter with the defensive abilities to stick in centerfield.

19. New York Mets- Ed Howard, Shortstop, Mount Carmel HS (IL): The Mets could go in a number of directions here with the selection. Here I have them snagging the talented prep shortstop in Howard, who has ability to make all the plays necessary to stick at shortstop stands out and can seem to cover ground effortlessly without having a plus speed tool.

20. Milwaukee Brewers- Clayton Beeter, RHP, Texas Tech: The Brewers have perhaps the worst farm system in baseball and they need to nail this pick. Beeter is rising up draft boards due to his big velocity on the fastball and great spin on the out-pitch curveball.

21. St. Louis Cardinals- Cole Wilcox, RHP, Georgia: Wilcox is one of the more underrated arms in this class and the Cardinals would gladly take him here. Wilcox leans on two plus pitches in the fastball and slider, but he is only a sophomore that doesn't have much starting experience.

22. Washington Nationals- Jared Kelley, RHP, Refugio HS (Texas): The Nationals get themselves a 
steal here with the prep arm in Kelley, who many people think can go in the top fifteen. Many people project Kelley to be a front-line starter and has confidence in his swing-and-miss changeup and displays potential with his slider.

23. Cleveland Indians- Nick Bitsko, RHP, Central Bucks East HS (PA): This pick could really turn out to be a steal for the Indians. Bitsko is someone that can drop out of the first round due to the lack of information due to the shortened season, but he is just as advanced as any prep arm in the pitch feel department.

24. Tampa Bay Rays- Dillon Dingler, Catcher, Ohio State: The Rays are in good shape in terms of their farm system, so there's no pressure on them to make a certain selection. Catchers who can stay behind the plate are hard to find and Dingler is athletic with excellent defensive skills and he could possibly go a few picks earlier.

25. Atlanta Braves- Bryce Jarvis, RHP, Duke: The Braves are another team that's in great shape in terms of their farm system. Here I have them selecting Jarvis, who some people in the industry believe he can blow through the minor leagues and could be pitching in the big leagues this season.

26. Oakland Athletics- Nick Loftin, Shortstop, Baylor: The Athetics have a recent history of taking college players and they take one here with Loftin. He is someone a lot of people feel will go higher than this due to his bat-to-ball skills and his ability to stay up the middle defensively.

27. Minnesota Twins- Slade Cecconi, RHP, Miami: The Twins should be going for a pitcher with this selection and I have them snagging one here with Cecconi. Many people project Cecconi to be a reliever in the future and his pure stuff measures up against a lot of other college arms.

28. New York Yankees- Aaron Sabato, First Baseman, North Carolina: Sabato is someone that is a last minute fast riser as the draft is approaching this week. He is not a great defensive player, but he has the bat from a power and plate discipline standpoint for him to be taken in the first round.

29. Los Angeles Dodgers- Chris McMahon, RHP, Miami: The Twins should be looking at pitching with this selection and they land a solid one here in McMahon. He flashes an exciting three pitch mix that all possess above-average-or-better qualities.