With the MLB Draft later today, the MLB FanSided sites put together a mock draft of the first round, and here’s who the Minnesota Twins picked up.
With the MLB Draft starting at 6 PM tonight, the co-experts of most of the FanSided sites put together a mock draft of which players their team would take. Some players slid a little bit, others were reached for, and we break it all down for you here, including the Minnesota Twins pick.
No. 1 Pick: Detroit Tigers select 1B Spencer Torkelson, Arizona State (Pick made by Motor City Bengals)
In a completely unsurprising move, the Tigers picked Torkelson, the No. 1 prospect according to MLB.com. This pick is basically a done deal, as Torkelson is already negotiating with the Tigers. Simple pick.
No. 2 Pick: Baltimore Orioles select LHP Asa Lacy, Texas A&M (Pick made by Call to the Pen (CTTP) the FanSided MLB news and opinions site)
The second pick is far less certain. Lacy is the No. 3 prospect, but has all the makings of a very good starter in an Orioles system lacking a prospect with this high of a ceiling.
No. 3 Pick: Miami Marlins select OF/3B Austin Martin, Vanderbilt (Pick made by Marlins Maniac)
The Marlins are desperate for talent, and Martin is the No. 2 prospect and the best pure hitter in the 2020 Draft. Another sensible pick, based on who is still on the board.
No. 4 Pick: Kansas City Royals select 2B Nick Gonzales, New Mexico State (Pick made by Kings of Kauffman)
The Royals have several really solid pitchers in the system in addition to star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., so this pick makes sense. A double play combo of Witt and Gonzales would offer excellent hitting and fielding for the future.
No. 5 Pick: Toronto Blue Jays select OF Zac Veen, Spruce Creek HS (FL) (Pick made by Jay’s Journal)
Veen is the top high school player in the draft and has drawn offensive comparisons to Cody Bellinger, but he isn’t quite as fast. If Veen lands here and decides to sign, the Blue Jays will have landed a great deal.
No. 6 Pick: Seattle Mariners select RHP Emerson Hancock, Georgia (Pick made by SoDo Mojo)
The Mariners would love to see the fourth ranked prospect per MLB.com fall to them at six. The Mariners’ top four prospects over three hitters, so adding more pitching is a huge win.
No. 7 Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates select RHP Max Meyer, Minnesota (Pick made by CTTP)
Doesn’t look like Meyer has a shot at falling anywhere close to the Minnesota Twins’ No. 27 pick. The Pirates produce a lot of talented arms, so hopefully the former Gopher develops well.
No. 8 Pick: San Diego Padres select OF Robert Hassell, Independence HS (TN) (Pick made by Friars on Base)
We officially have our first real reach! The Padres reached for Hassell, the 16th ranked prospect on MLB.com. Hassell is an excellent left-handed hitter and is arguably the best prep hitter in the 2020 class. Reaching a little bit allows for a chance to sign him.
No. 9 Pick: Colorado Rockies select LHP Reid Detmers, Louisville (Pick made by Rox Pile)
The Rockies system lacks truly elite pitching prospects in their system, so getting a very good pitching prospect here makes the most sense. Grabbing the top pitching prospect available is the best move.
No. 10 Pick: Los Angeles Angels select C Patric Bailey, NC State (Pick made by CTTP)
The 17th prospect in the draft, Bailey’s position makes him extremely valuable. The Twins picked him in 2017, so I had hopes that they could land him again, but it doesn’t look likely.
No. 11 Pick: Chicago White Sox select OF Garrett Mitchell, UCLA (Pick made by CTTP)
The first prospect to fall more than three spots, Mitchell is the No. 6 prospect, but is pushed up by his speed. The White Sox already have a strong and deep farm system, so adding the best player available makes sense.
No. 12 Pick: Cincinnati Reds select OF Heston Kjerstad, Arkansas (Pick by Blog Red Machine)
The last top 10 prospect available, the Reds get a slugger with some of the best power in the draft. He profiles as similar to Joey Gallo with less power.
No. 13 Pick: San Fransisco Giants select RHP Mick Abel, Jesuit HS (OR) (Pick by Around the Foghorn)
Abel is a massive, 6’5″ righty with a four pitch mix and LOADS of potential. The fact that he is still only 190 shows how much power he can still add. If the Giants can land him and sign him at 13, that’s a great move.
No. 14 Pick: Texas Rangers select LHP Garrett Crochet, Tennessee (Pick by Nolan Writin’)
One of my personal favorite pitchers in this draft, Crochet would be perfect for the Minnesota Twins. He’s a college pitcher with a ton of upside left. He’s also a lefty, something the Twins’ system lacks, but just like this mock, he likely won’t last.
No. 15 Pick: Philadelphia Phillies select RHP Cade Cavalli, Oklahoma (Pick by CTTP)
Cavalli is a player a lot of mock drafts have going to the Minnesota Twins, but it doesn’t seem likely he’ll last to 27. This was a surprise with better arms on the board, but Cavalli is a safer pick.
No. 16 Pick: Chicago Cubs select RHP Nick Bitsko, Central Bucks East HS (PA) (Pick by CTTP)
This is a really risky pick, as Bitsko is pretty firmly committed to Virginia, but if a team can pry him away with enough money, Bitsko is a 6’4″ kid with tons of projection.
No. 17 Pick: Boston Red Sox select OF Austin Hendrick, West Alleghany HS (PA) (Pick by CTTP)
This is a good pick as Hendrick has cleanup level power and production possibilities. He has his rough spots as he’s still pretty raw, but if a team helps him reach that ceiling they’re getting a deal.
No. 18 Pick: Arizona Diamondbacks select SS Ed Howard, Mt. Carmel HS (IL) (Pick by CTTP)
A player with solid tools in each category, Howard will likely stick at short, as his defense if very slick. His ceiling isn’t high, but he’s got what it takes to be a starting shortstop and maybe even more.
No. 19 Pick: New York Mets select C Dillon Dingler, Ohio State (Pick by CTTP)
This is the ideal player for the Minnesota Twins. Dingler is the 24th ranked prospect, but he has some upside. Dingler has good speed and a good arm, with decent power. In addition, he also should hit for decent average, so hopefully the Mets miss him and he lands with the Minnesota Twins.
No. 20 Pick: Milwaukee Brewers select OF Pete Crow-Armstrong, Harvard-Westlake HS (CA) (Pick by Reviewing the Brew)
Crow-Armstrong has been a top prospect for a while and is a household name, but he’s moved up and down the boards with his fluctuating performance. The hope with Crow Armstrong is that he can reach his original hype, but maybe a few years in college would help more.
No. 21 Pick: St. Louis Cardinals select RHP Cole Wilcox, Georgia (Pick by Redbird Rants)
Another possible Minnesota Twins pick, Wilcox is a massive 6’5″ man with lots of projection left. A college pitcher with upside is exactly what the Twins would look for, but he comes off the board too early.
No. 22 Pick: Washington Nationals select C Tyler Soderstrom, Turlock HS (CA) (Pick by District on Deck)
The run on possible Minnesota Twins prospects continues. Soderstrom is an excellent offensive catcher, but his defense isn’t quite equal. Soderstrom would do well with the catching coaches the Minnesota Twins have, but he lands with the Nats instead.
No. 23 Pick: Cleveland Indians select RHP Jared Kelly, Refugio HS (TX) (Pick by CTTP)
It was stunning to me that Kelly fell this far. Kelly could race through the minors before his 22nd birthday. He has lots of upside, but it’s possible he chooses to go to college and raise his stock if he falls this far.
No. 24 Pick: Tampa Bay Rays select C/OF Austin Wells, Arizona (Pick by CTTP)
Yet another guy on my Minnesota Twins wishlist, Wells is the No. 27 prospect and came off the board to a farm system that is full of good prospects and gets a little deeper.
No. 25 Pick: Atlanta Braves select SS Nick Loftin, Baylor (Pick by CTTP)
Woah. This draft has been based primarily off of prospect rankings, so it was about time that someone shook things up with someone like the No. 36 ranked player. The Braves farm system has been drained a bit, but Loftin has a very high floor, so this will help.
No. 26 Pick: Oakland Athletics select RHP Bobby Miller, Louisville (Pick by White Cleat Beat)
I was so, so, so, hoping that Miller would fall one more spot, but alas the Minnesota Twins missed out on the last perfect fit player. Miller has upside and good production, so the A’s would get a good player.
No. 27 Pick: Minnesota Twins select RHP Carmen Mlodzinski, South Carolina (Picked by Us!)
With Meyer, Hendrick, Crochet, Miller, Bailey, Soderstrom, and Wells gone, there wasn’t a great fit for the Twins. Instead, I went with the Mldozinki, the highest rated player available. It wasn’t ideal, but it was still a great deal.
The Twins land a college pitcher with some upside as well as securing a higher-rated player. Despite not getting any of the players I thought would fit best, this would be a great grab for a an already deep Twins system.
No. 28 Pick: New York Yankees select RHP Bryce Jarvis, Duke (Picked by Yanks Go Yard)
The Yankees were put in a position similar to the us, and I think they had the easy decision to make. The clear two top players on the board were Mlodzinski and Jarvis, we got one, they got the other.
No. 29 Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers select SS Carson Tucker, Mountain Pointe HS (AZ) (Picked by Dodgers Way)
The Dodgers went with a super high upside pick here with Carson Tucker, the brother of Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Cole Tucker, a top prospect. He’s only the 52nd ranked prospect, so he isn’t on the same level as his brother, but this could be a steal.
It was awesome to be able to do this with the FanSided network, so get ready for the big event, the first real baseball event we’ve had in a while!