Our 2020 MLB draft coverage has been in a bit of a holding pattern while waiting for the details of the actual draft. Will it be in June, July or August? Will it be five rounds, 10 rounds or more (I wish)? Which players are harder to sign after seasons that barely started?
The answer to the first question seems to be more or less resolved, as both Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman reported on Tuesday that Major League Baseball will adhere to the original June 10 date, conducted remotely. Sherman added in his story at the New York Post that Rob Manfred is still deciding between five and 10 rounds, which would determine whether the draft would require one or two days.
Also on Tuesday, Jonathan Mayo released his first mock draft at MLB.com. Baseball America is already three mocks deep, so we can get started on our regular-from-here surveys of the most established projections. Keith Law said he'll be rolling his first out in the next 2-3 weeks, but we can start without him.
Josh has tracked these players since the start of the season, whereas I'm just starting to turn my attention to it now. Which one of us provides the more valuable insight? You make the call.
MLB.com (April 28)
White Sox select: Heston Kjerstad, OF, Arkansas
Mayo's take: "The White Sox haven’t taken a high schooler in the first round since 2013 and Kjerstad has as much raw power as any college bat not named [Spencer] Torkelson."
Josh's take: Kjerstad was off to a fast start in 2020 before the stoppage, hitting .448/.513/.791 with six home runs and 20 RBI. Kjerstad has been a very dependable bat since he walked on campus at Fayetteville, posting .972 OPS his freshman year and a .978 OPS his sophomore season. The power is legit. Kjerstad does a good job utilizing a leg kick to build his load while staying balanced through the zone. The downside is that Kjerstad strikes out far more than he walks (118 strikeouts to 47 walks in his college career), which raises questions about his plate vision and discipline. Athletically, Kjerstad is limited to only right field, and he played some first base during the Fall.
My take: Hey, they'd get themselves an Arkansas outfielder after seeing Andrew Benintendi picked one spot ahead of Carson Fulmer in 2015. Also, his spoonerism sounds like a Norwegian Keston Hiura.
Baseball America (April 15)
White Sox select: Garrett Crochet, LHP, Tennessee
BA's take: "Crochet has plenty of upside to offer and I also think a college player would make sense considering Chicago’s window. This seems to be the range where Arkansas outfielder Heston Kjerstad’s market could really open up."
Josh's take: Making most of his appearances out of the bullpen his first two years at Tennessee, Crochet was to be the Vols Friday night starter in 2020. That was before an arm injury caused him to miss the first three weeks of the season. Crochet did appear in one game this season, pitching 3⅓ innings striking out six and allowed only two hits. The arsenal is impressive as Crochet sits mid-90’s with his fastball and has hit 98 mph in games. He pairs it with a slider that tunnels well and is unfair for left-handed hitters to face.
My take: There'd be a popcorn sponsorship with his name on it. BA's draft has Mount Carmel shortstop Ed Howard going to the Dodgers with the No. 29 pick, which brings to mind the Gavin Lux discussions of 2016.
(Photo of Heston Kjerstad by Andy Altenburger/Icon Sportswire)
