2020 MLB Draft Player Notes: Ranking 51-75

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 Ranking 51-75

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51. Jordan Westburg (SS/3B, Mississippi State Univ. | Video)

Tall and lean, Westburg was built similarly to 2019 first rounder Braden Shewmake (Braves), last summer, but has since added 10 pounds of good weight. After slashing .299/.408/.466 for the Bulldogs last spring, he showed pretty well with wood in the Cape, slugging .516 with four homeruns for Hyannis. Utilizing a simple load that includes a toe tap timing mechanism, Westburg stays balanced while his bat accelerates through the zone. There’s some swing and miss in the profile, evidenced by a 22.5 K% in Starkville. He moves pretty well for a taller shortstop, with an decent chance to remain there long term.

52. Tommy Mace (RHP, Univ. of Florida | Video | Video)

Mace uses long levers and athletic actions to toss low-90s heat from his 6-foot-6, 215-pound frame, touching as high as 95/96 mph when he reaches back for it. His best secondary is probably his upper-80s cutter, which is more of a barrel-misser than a true swing-and-miss offering. The same goes for his changeup, which plays in the mid-80s with solid depth, but not quite enough velo differential to draw empty swings. His breaking ball is a slurvy offering that runs from the upper 70s to the low 80s. Mace profiles as a back-end arm as a pro and likely fits in the second round range.

53. Tanner Witt (RHP, Episcopal (TX) | Video)

Witt’s calling card is a big breaking curve with elite spin rate, earning double-plus grades. He creates very difficult angles for hitters thanks to his 6-foot-6, 205-pound frame, and there is room for the Texas commit to continue to add bulk, as well as velocity to his 89-to-93 (touching 95 mph) fastball as the body matures. His changeup is still in its nascent stages, but he shows some feel for the offering and gets a solid 10 mph velocity delta off of the fastball. Witt has some of the highest upside of the prep pitchers in the class and could be in play in the top 37 picks with multiple potential landing spots in the competitive balance round in particular.

54. Kyle Harrison (LHP, De La Salle (CA) | Video)

A UCLA commit, Harrison is more polish than stuff at present. Working from a lower three-quarter arm slot, his 90s fastball has sink and run to the arm side, and he’s able to spot it more consistently than his prep peers. His breaker is a two-plane sweeper with 2-to-8 break that’s difficult to square up, especially for lefties. He’ll periodically mix in a changeup as a developing third offering.

55. Cole Henry (RHP, Louisiana State Univ. | Video)

Henry stands out for his athleticism, projectable build and quality repertoire that include three potential above-average or better offerings. The LSU righty works regularly in the low 90s with his fastball, touching 95/96 mph, and shows comfort spotting the pitch to both sides of the plate. His most consistent secondary this spring was an above-average mid-80s changeup, which comes with good arm speed deception and serves as an excellent change-of-pace offering. His breaker is a mid-70s slow curve with plus potential but inconsistent shape, though the righty has shown better feel for it in the past. As a draft-eligible sophomore, there’s some additional leverage here that could drive up bonus demands.

56. Sam Weatherly (LHP, Clemson Univ. | Video | Video)

The pandemic-shortened spring was just four weeks long, but that was more than enough time for Weatherly to boost his stock from a fourth-to-sixth round name to a potential top 50 pick. In four starts, the Clemson lefty posted a sub-1.00 WHIP, 0.79 ERA and .096 BAA while punching out 43 in 22.2 innings of work. His slider is among the best in the class, with wipeout action, and the southpaw reached as high as 96 mph with the fastball, sitting in the 91-to-93 mph range. Weatherly’s strong start should give him latitude to continue in a rotation as a pro, with a high-leverage relief role as a backup.

57. Drew Bowser (3B, Harvard-Westlake (CA) | Video)

Strongly committed to Stanford, Bowser is rumored to be a difficult sign away from the Cardinal unless he’s selected significantly earlier than where he’s ranked in the public space. A prep shortstop, he profiles more at the hot corner in pro ball with right-handed pop, plus bat speed and plus power. Although he has soft hands and fluid actions with the glove, he’s a below average runner and lacks first step quickness to remain up the middle.

58. Alex Santos (RHP, Mount St. Michael (NY) | Video)

A projectable prep arm with long levers, high waist and sloping shoulders, the 6-foot-4, 185-pounds Santos is the best prep prospect in New York this draft cycle. A Maryland commit, he ran his fastball up to 93 early in the summer and was bumping 95 by August. His low 80s breaker has depth and out-pitch potential, tunneling well with his fastball. He also throws a developing changeup, firm in the upper 80s. There’s some funk in the delivery, complete with a partial stab in the back.

59. Alika Williams (SS, Arizona State Univ. | Video)

A glove-first shortstop, Williams is one of the more advanced defenders at the position, with smooth actions, plus range and an above average arm. His home-to-first run times last summer were in the 4.20-4.28 range (average-to-plus), but he hasn’t been much of a base stealing threat in college. He shows feel for the strike zone, walking (33) more than he struck out (28) as a sophomore. He swung the bat well for the Collegiate National Team, slashing .364/.370/.545 and pacing the club with 19 RBIs. He has below average power, both in batting practice and in game, so the value is tied to his defensive ability and bat to ball skills.

60. Casey Martin (SS, Arkansas | Video | Video | Video)

As an underclassman, the Arkansas shortstop was often mentioned as a potential first round target, though questions about the hit tool have caused his stock to slip some over the past nine months. Casey is an athletic defender at short who occasionally struggles with routine plays and may ultimately fit best in center field where his speed and instincts could take center stage. At the plate, there’s tons of bat speed and explosiveness in his cuts, but the approach is inconsistent and there’s a lot of swing-and-miss to the profile. The upside is a plus power, plus run, up-the-middle piece, which could be enough to keep him in the top two rounds, even with his recent struggles.

61. Alejandro Rosario (RHP, Miami Christian (FL) | Video)

Rosario doesn’t have the stature of some of his contemporaries on this list, coming it at 6-foot-1, 170 pounds, but the arm is live and the stuff is very loud. An Under Armour and Perfect Game All-American, Rosario shows a three pitch mix with above-average potential across the board, though inconsistencies in his mechanics, release and overall execution can leave him too loose in the zone. His low-to-mid-90s fastball sets the pace, with a very good changeup and slider combo serving as put-away weapons ahead in the count. He’ll also flash the changeup early to steal a strike or draw soft contact, from time to time.

62. Zach DeLoach (OF, Texas A&M Univ. | Video)

DeLoach enjoyed a productive summer on the Cape and was murdering baseballs left and right this spring for the season’s early termination, slashing .421/.547/.789 with six home runs in 18 games and 74 plate appearances. Perhaps most impressive, the Aggie outfielder was able to draw 14 walks and three HBPs while striking out just twice over that span. DeLoach is a top level athlete with quick twitch actions and impressive strength to go with a potential plus glove on the grass, making him an enticing option as a power/speed center fielder. As a college bat who performed well on the Cape and particularly well this spring, he could be in play as early as the sandwich round.

63. Blaze Jordan (1B, DeSoto Central (MS) | Video)

Extraordinarily young for this draft class, Jordan reclassified late last spring and won’t turn 18 until December. He’s got electric bat speed, some of the best in the class causing the ball to jump off the bat despite a fairly compact swing. For a young kid, he does a good job to trust those hands and drive the ball to all fields. Conditioning will need to be a priority as a professional, and a permanent move across the diamond from third base to first base is likely.

64. Zavier Warren (SS/3B, Central Michigan Univ. | Video)

Warren is a talented defender with quick hands and sure, athletic actions backed by a plus-plus arm. He moves well and can make all the necessary throws, and while he plays a solid short at present it is likely his body and fringy footspeed ultimately push him to the hot corner. At the plate, the switch-hitting Chippewa shows good bat speed, loose hands and good whip in the barrel, with slightly more fluid swing from the left side. At present he can sting the gaps with regularity and could grow into more over-the-fence pop as his trunk and core continue to mature. Warren enjoyed a quality summer on the Cape, slashing .315/.396/.443 for Bourne, and should get consideration in the top 75 picks.

65. Cade Horton (RHP/SS, Norman (OK) | Video | Video)

One of the most athletic prospects in this draft, Horton is a legitimate prospect both as a righthanded pitcher a shortstop, in addition to being committed to play quarterback (and baseball) at Oklahoma. He’ll sit 92-94 mph on the bump and throws a hard low-80s slider that tunnels with the fastball from his three-quarter release. As a position player, he potentially would grow off the position where he could profile as a power hitting corner infielder.

66. Kevin Parada (C, Loyola (CA) | Video)

At 6-foot, 200 pounds, Parada has a strong, compact frame with minimal projection remaining. There is an intriguing power/hit combo in the profile. It’s more doubles power at present, but the ball jumps off the bat, he’s got above average bat speed and the ball will start to leave the yard more frequency as he learns to elevate. An athletic backstop, he moves well behind the dish and he shows off a plus arm, with pop times under 1.90 in both showcase and game settings. The Georgia Tech commit runs well for a catcher, logging a 6.72/60 at PG National.

67. Connor Phillips (RHP, McLennan CC)

Phillips impressed evaluators this fall, pumping mid-90s fastballs and reaching as high as 98 mph, while mixing in a hard mid-80s slider with short, tilted action. He battled his mechanics some this spring, leading to periodic control issues, but still racked up 27 strikeouts in 25.2 innings of work over the course of the short spring. Phillips sports an athletic 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame with room in the build to continue to add strength as he matures. Phillips is a true freshman who has the leverage to return to school and continue to improve his stock, but teams who saw him good this fall could be enticed to snap up the talented righty and buy him out of that path.

68. Chase Davis (OF, Franklin (CA) | Video)

Athletic and strong bodied at 6-foot-1, 210-pounds, Davis turned in a strong showing against good arms at the WWBA World Championships in Jupiter last fall. He profiles in rightfield, where his plus arm is a deterrent for would be runners taking an extra base. There’s some length to the swing, with a bat wrap that will occasionally throw off his timing and ability to drive hittable pitches, but his innate bat speed would allow him to shorten up without sacrificing pop.

69. Mason Erla (RHP, Michigan State Univ. | Video)

Erla improved his stock immensely with a dominant showing in the abbreviated spring (2-0, 1.04 ERA) after going 2-10, 5.49 ERA on the bump last season. Working from a low three-quarter slot, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound righthander punched out 42 hitters in 26 frames compared to just six walks. He’ll sit 93-96 mph early with his fastball, touching 97 before settling into the 92-93 range in later innings. His 78-80 mph frisbee slider flashes average potential while his changeup shows run and sink as an above average offering.

70. Enrique Bradfield, Jr. (OF, American Heritage, Plantation (FL) | Video | Video)

Bradfield burst onto the 2080 Baseball radar with a strong showing on both sides of the ball at the 2018 NHSI as a sophomore. A Vanderbilt commit, Bradfield boasts some of the best speed in the draft, garnering 80-grades for his wheels for running a 6.26/60 and producing home-to-first run times at 4.0. His speed is an asset in centerfield, where he’s an instinctual defender with an average arm. Extremely thin at 155-pounds, he lacks physicality and won’t hit for much pop as a professional, but he’ll put the ball in play consistently and use his legs to wreak havoc on the bases.

71. Seth Lonsway (LHP, Ohio State Univ. | Video | Video)

A polarizing player in the public space, Lonsway has some of the best swing-and-miss stuff in this draft. Working off a fastball that reportedly ticked up to 93-94 this spring and showcasing a devastating curveball that drops off the table, the Buckeye lefty struck out an astonishing 42 hitters in just 18 innings this spring (21K/9). The knock on Lonsway since high school has been inconsistent control, which has been omnipresent throughout his collegiate career. There is some reliever risk in the profile, but the bat missing properties in his arsenal could prompt a team to pull the trigger early in Day 2.

72. Zach McCambley (RHP, Coastal Carolina Univ.)

McCambley stood out for Cotuit last summer on the Cape, striking out 24 in 20.2 innings of work while walking just 7 and posting a 1.74 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. The righty built off of that momentum with a strong start to the 2020 season for Coastal in which he fanned 32 over 25 innings while walking just seven and holding opponents to a .208 average. At 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, McCambley is sturdily built and he throws with some effort, limiting both his physical projection and the upside on the arsenal. His present stuff, however, is plenty good enough to warrant top two round consideration, including a low-90s fastball that can touch 96, a plus low-80s breaker and playable low-80s changeup.

73. Markevian Hence (RHP, Watson Chapel (AR) | Video)

Hence doesn’t boast an imposing frame, but his quick arm and aggressive and confident demeanor on the mound make for a very tough at bat for opposing hitters, just the same. Hence benefits from high-level arm speed and an athletic motion that helps to produce low-to-mid-90s velocity on his fastball and sharp break and good depth on his 78-to-81 mph curveball. With his curve doubling-up as a change-of-pace offering, Hence doesn’t have great use for a changeup at present, but he nevertheless shows good feel for the pitch, which displays arm-side fade. Hence doesn’t have a traditional starter’s build, with a narrow, 6-foot-1, 175 pound frame, but his athleticism and arm speed, as well as his feel, make him an interesting upside play. As a bonus, he won’t turn 18 until this August.

74. Jeff Criswell (RHP, Univ. of Michigan)

After serving as the Sunday starter behind a pair of second rounders in Tommy Henry (Arizona) and Karl Kaufmann (Colorado) for the national runner up Wolverines, Criswell slid into the Friday night role to anchor the staff this spring, going 0-1, 4.50 with 26 strikeouts in 24 frames. He can run his fastball up to 96 mph, sitting mostly 92-94. He could profile as a high leverage reliver in pro ball where his fastball and plus 83-85 mph slider can play up. Periodically, he’ll mix in a mid-80 circle changeup, thrown with good arm speed.

75. Nick Garcia (RHP, Chapman Univ.)

The top D-III player in the country, Garcia is a converted infielder with a similar background Seth Johnson, a Rays first rounder out of Campbell last season. Garcia has more of a prototypal pitchers frame, however, at 6-foot-4, 215-pounds. The small school righty proved he belonged in the Cape (3.17 ERA, 20 K in 17 innings). His fastball was reportedly up to 97 this spring and shows a slider and cutter as well.