Vandy Baseball Commits and the MLB Draft
The landscape of Major League Baseball has changed dramatically in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic where there will be no minor league baseball played this season, and the future of may minor league franchises remain in doubt moving forward.
It also impacted the coming Draft where there will be just five rounds of selections in 2020.
"The first, and most obvious, ramifications of the Draft being reduced to five rounds is that teams are simply going to be signing a lot fewer players than in most years. But with no Minor League baseball being played, there is nowhere for those players to go out and play," according to an article by Jonathan Mayo of MLB Network. "The flip side of that coin could be that the 2021 Draft might be incredibly deep. Typically, the best college players sign after their junior year, but many could choose to head back to college if they aren’t drafted and re-enter the Draft next year, rather than signing for the $20,000 maximum."
What does that mean for Tim Corbin and Vanderbilt in terms of their 202 recruiting class?
While that's not totally clear, it could be a positive development for the most part.
In a recent ranking by PrepBaseballReport.com, only two of Vanderbilt's top recruits are ranked in the top 30, meaning that should those ranking be correct, only Robert Hassell III and Pete Crow-Armstrong would be selected in the first round where the biggest bonus money would be available.
Per the rankings, Hassell III is the No.13 ranked prospect while Crow-Armstrong is No.16.
While both could be selected, with potentially limited spots available in the current landscape of the minor league systems, plus the uncertainty surrounding MLB's season itself, could both Hassell and Crow-Armstrong opt for college and pass on the dollars?
The fact those same figures would most likely still be available after their college careers and when MLB has moved beyond the current uncertainties could become factors in their decisions.
Of the remainder of the Commodores class, there is the chance some could decide to make the jump if, and when they hear their name called in any of the five rounds, but that seems less of a likelihood-based on the current circumstance of the system.
One thing is certain, there will be more eyes of the college baseball world watching this Draft than most others because what last year might have been a foregone conclusion as for which players would opt for the money over college, this season's issues place those conclusions in a less certain light.
Regardless, the Commodores baseball program will remain a top contender, but it could jump to another level if both Hassell and Crow-Armstrong join the roster, and that would be fun to see.
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