June 10 and the MLB Draft are not that far away. And with the NCAA D1 season kicking off this past weekend, I took the opportunity to go through some mock drafts and draft prospect rankings to see just exactly who “experts” have the Cubs taking and just exactly who was still left on the board. It’s an interesting lot of names. While there is no consensus, this exercise did create a pool of names to investigate.
The Pick – JT Ginn RHP Mississippi State 6’2” 200
On the Board – Heston Kerstad and Jordan Walker are two booming bats that would fit nicely in a Cubs uniform. Walker, a HS product, clearly has the higher ceiling while Kjerstad, who is at Arkansas, has the higher floor.
The Pick – Austin Hendrick, OF, West Allegheny (Pa.) HS – “a lefty hitter, has elite raw power for a high schooler and profiles as a middle-of-the-order bat in pro ball. He is a good athlete and has a strong arm.”
On the Board – Kjerstad is still available along with Auburn stud pitcher Tanner Burns and Prep Phenom Nick Bitsko, a prep pitcher who is graduating early.
The Pick – Reid Detmers, LHP, Louisville – This would mark the third straight year the Cubs took a Louisville arm in the draft. He struck out 167 in 113.1 IP last year.
On the Board – Kjerstad is still there along with Burns and New Mexico 2B Nick Gonzalves, who is usually in the top 10.
The Pick – Ed Howard SS Mt. Carmel HS – The local kid has drawn raves for his size, athleticism, and power potential.
On the Board – Ginn, Kjerstad and Burns are still there. I am sensing a theme here.
The Pick – Robert Hassell HS OF – He was great playing for USA Baseball last summer as he put up a .514/.548/.886 slash line. He throws and bats left and is decent sized at 6’2” and 190.
On the Board – Burns, Kjerstad, Bitsko
Draft Site – This site has two rounds for a mock. So, it’s basically a bonus look into round 2.
The Picks – Daniel Cabrera LSU OF, Nick Frasso RHP – Loyola Marymount
On the Board – In round 1, Kjerstad, Hendrick, and Howard are all still there. Those three would be hard to pass up.
Rankings
Unlike the mock, these rankings are just pure talent level evaluations and not a pick based on a team’s predilections.
The Rank – Nick Bitsko HS Pitcher 6’3” 210
On the Board – Howard is still there but Kjertsad is all the way down to 43.
The Rank – JT Ginn – I like what they had to say about Ginn
Ginn usually deals at 91-95 mph and tops out at 97 with some of the best fastball life in the 2020 Draft, as his heater will run and sink and bore at various times. His wipeout slider can be just as difficult to hit, combining mid-80s velocity with two-plane depth. He also gets good downward action on his changeup, which shows flashes of becoming a plus offering.
On the Board – Burns and Jordan Walker
A lot can happen in a 100+ days and rankings can rise and fall drastically in a short span. Still, this gives me some names to check out over the next month. Nothing is written in stone or even close to it.
Cubs Central 