Early in the mock projection of the 2020 MLB Draft, Jared Kelley was tied to the White Sox as a potential first-round pick. In fact, Josh made made the case for Kelley in his first mock draft of the spring.
Well, the White Sox instead took Tennessee lefty Garrett Crochet with their first-round pick...
... but they were able to circle back and snag Kelley in the second round.
Kelley, a 6-foot-4-inch, 225-pound righty out of Refugio High School in Texas, overpowered the prep and showcase ranks. He struck out 34 batters over 12 innings this spring without allowing a hit, and he earned Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year honors for that dominance.
What's to like?
Kelley can run his fastball in the high 90s with ease, and his changeup is good enough that it makes sense for a guy who throws that hard to throw it in high school. He has a repeatable delivery that generates advanced command for his age, especially given the power.
What's not to like?
There's a stigma against hard-throwing high school righties, especially ones like Kelley with little physical projection remaining (think Tyler Kolek). He also hadn't shown a breaking ball that suits him, although he's talked up his progress on his slider. Otherwise, the big sticking point is money, as Kelley has a commitment to the University of Texas. As you can see by looking at where he ranked on prospect lists, he seems to be asking for his fair share.
Where did he rank?
- 2080 Baseball: No. 12
- MLB.com: No. 12
- Baseball America: No. 12
- ESPN.com: No. 26
- FanGraphs: No. 28
- Keith Law: No. 31
What does he look like?
Josh saw him at the Under Armour showcase.
The first nine picks (of the second round)
- Detroit Tigers: Dillon Dingler, C, Ohio State
- Baltimore Orioles: Hudson Haskin, OF, Tulane
- Miami Marlins: Daxton Fulton, LHP, Mustang HS (Okla.)
- Kansas City Royals: Ben Hernandez, RHP, De La Salle Institute (Chicago)
- Toronto Blue Jays: CJ Van Eyk, RHP, Florida State
- Seattle Mariners: Zach DeLoach, OF, Texas A&M
- Pittsburgh Pirates: Jared Jones, RHP, La Mirada (Calif.) HS
- San Diego Padres: Owen Cassie, OF, Notre Dame Catholic (Ontario, Canada)
- Colorado Rockies: Chris McMahon, RHP, Miami
(Photo of Jared Kelley by Steven Silva)
