2020 MLB Draft Day: Who Will the Texas Rangers Select at No. 14?
Happy Draft day!
This year's draft is not under normal circumstances, but talented young baseball players will still get to fulfill their dreams of playing professional baseball over the next two days.
2020 MLB First-Year Player Draft
Day One (First Round): Wednesday, 6 p.m. CST (MLB Network/ESPN)
Day Two (Rounds 2-5): Thursday, 4 p.m. CST (MLB Network/ESPN 2)
Texas Rangers Picks
| Round | Pick | Bonus Slot Value |
|---|---|---|
Round 1 | 14th | $4,036,800 |
Round 2 | 50th | $1,469,900 |
Round 3 | 86th | $699,700 |
Round 4 | 115th | $502,300 |
Round 5 | 145th | $375,200 |
Total Bonus Pool: $7,083,900 (18th in MLB)
Final mock drafts are in from around the interweb. Just a few days ago, there were only a few names the experts were considering. This time around, it is much more spread out. There also seems to be a shift in focus from pitching to hitting.
Here are some names popping up in final mock drafts:
Patrick Bailey, C, North Carolina State
Jim Callis (MLB.com): "The Rangers would love Veen but have no chance at him, and Hassell might be their biggest target with a realistic chance to get to No. 14. Beyond those prep outfielders, they're linked to all the various demographics from the best high school arms (Abel, Pennsylvania's Nick Bitsko, Texas' Jared Kelley) to college performers who could come at a discount if they go this early (Mississippi State second baseman Justin Foscue, Baylor shortstop Nick Loftin). Bailey, the best catcher guaranteed to stay behind the plate, also fits."
Jonathan Mayo (MLB.com): "I’d previously had mostly college arms here, but with Crochet and Cavalli off the board, the Rangers could turn to a bat and it’s hard to imagine Bailey, the best college backstop in the class, dropping too far."
Nick Bitsko, RHP, Central Bucks East (Pa.) HS
Jamey Newberg (The Athletic): In predicting the next half-decade of Rangers baseball, Newberg reveals that Bitsko earns a spot in Arlington in 2025.
Garrett Crochet, LHP, Tennessee
Mike Axisa (CBS Sports): "The Rangers are not afraid to take risks and Crochet was limited to 3 1/3 innings by a shoulder problem this spring. His upside as a hard-throwing lefty is enormous, however, and with not much separating available players at this point, betting on that upside is a reasonable move. I suspect the willingness to sign below-slot will be a major factor in how the draft plays out from this this pick on."
Nick Loftin, SS, Baylor
Eric Longhagen (Fangraphs): "This one’s based on intel from an industry source as well as general sentiment that Texas will be a little more conservative this year. That fits with Loftin, a shortstop with a lengthy performance track record. Foscue is off the board in this scenario."
Garrett Mitchell, OF, UCLA
Joel Reuter (Bleacher Report): "A sure-thing pro center fielder, Mitchell has the best collection of tools among college hitters with plus speed, an advanced hit tool and a high floor.
"The UCLA standout hit .349/.418/.566 with 14 doubles, 12 triples and six home runs as a sophomore, swiping 18 bases in 22 attempts. Despite an athletic 6'3", 215-pound frame, he hasn't shown much in-game power. There's reason to believe that will eventually come, but even if it doesn't, he offers enough value with his across-the-board skills to be an asset."
Aaron Sabato, 1B, North Carolina
Keith Law (The Athletic): "Seems like the Rangers have settled on Sabato, a tremendously strong power bat without a position, probably aiming for a below-slot deal."
Baseball America's Mock Draft 8.0: "We pegged Sabato to the Rangers in our previous mock draft, and we don’t see any reason to come off that selection here. Bailey makes sense in this range as well and could be a fit for Texas, and some sources believe Cavalli could be a fit as well if he’s still on the board. We believe the Rangers could be another team to pass over Mitchell. Southern California speedster Jake Vogel is getting some interest in the second round, the Rangers could be interested in him for their next pick after nabbing a college player here. (The Rockies, Brewers, Red Sox and Yankees could also be interested in Vogel.) If Vogel has to be an overpay in that range, Sabato could simultaneously save the Rangers some money and give them plenty of impact."
Kiley McDaniel (ESPN): "Sabato has all kinds of helium of late, with draft models loving the exit velocities and some evaluators comparing him to Kyle Schwarber. For alternatives, college bats like Foscue and Nick Loftin are getting some run here and Crochet is also in the mix."
Inside The Rangers First Round Prediction
Aaron Sabato, 1B, North Carolina
I still believe the Rangers will go college over high school. I was a big supporter of Garrett Crochet out of Tennessee, who was my initial prediction for the Rangers' selection at No. 14. The southpaw has nasty stuff, but he also seems like a bit of a risk given the shoulder issues and lack of innings. With the way things are trending, and with the lack of success in the first round in recent years, this isn't the time to take a big risk.
I still believe there's a chance they could take a college hurler. Oklahoma RHP Cade Cavalli could be available at 14th overall and would be a fine selection. He has a wonderful four-pitch mix and has a clean delivery. If he could figure out command issues, he has great potential. However, Baseball America has Cavalli going 13th overall to the San Francisco Giants, just one spot ahead of the Rangers. Déjà vu anyone?
In our original Rangers draft preview, we had first base as the thinnest position in the organization. The Rangers don't have a true first baseman in their top-30 prospects right now. Sabato has tremendous raw power and is patient at the plate, which sounds an awful lot like a current Rangers outfielder that used to play first base. A Rangers player also told me Sabato is the real deal.
If collegiate pitchers go early in this draft, I like the Rangers to go with a college bat. Sabato has the makeup the Rangers find attractive.
Texas Rangers 2020 MLB Draft Coverage on Inside The Rangers
- Texas Rangers 2020 MLB Draft Preview
- Texas Rangers Are Prepared to Navigate Through Unique MLB Draft
- Jon Daniels Hopeful For Organized Programs to Develop Players After MLB Draft
- Undrafted Players Will Face Career-Altering Decision in 2020 MLB Draft
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