Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
We’re now a couple weeks out from the 2020 MLB Draft — the bastardized version of it, anyway — and we’re at the third edition of the Dodgers Big Board.
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Previous Entries
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There are more changes in this version of the board than in the last.
Big Board v 3.0
- RHP Jared Kelley, Refugio HS (Texas) [Profile]
- C/3B/OF Tyler Soderstrom, Turlock HS (Calif.)
- RHP Bobby Miller, Louisville [Profile]
- RHP Nick Bitsko, Central Bucks East HS (Penn.)
- RHP Slade Cecconi, Miami (FL) [Profile]
- C/1B/LF Austin Wells, Arizona
- C Dillon Dingler, Ohio State
- OF Daniel Cabrera, LSU [Profile]
- SS Ed Howard, Mount Carmel HS (Ill.)
- RHP Chris McMahon, Miami (FL)
- RHP Cade Cavalli, Oklahoma
- RHP Cole Wilcox, Georgia
- SS Jordan Westburg, Mississippi State
- RHP Bryce Jarvis, Duke
- 2B Justin Foscue, Mississippi State
- SS Nick Loftin, Baylor
- RHP Clayton Beeter, Texas Tech
- RHP Carmen Mlodzinski, South Carolina
- SS Casey Martin, Akransas
- RHP Justin Lange, Llano HS (Texas)
We finally have a change at the top, but not because I’ve soured on Robert Hassell. I’ve finally accepted that there’s almost no way he falls all the way to No. 29, so there’s no sense in keeping him on this board. Pete Crow-Armstrong has also been ousted because he seems unlikely to make it out of the teens. Kelley, however, still has a chance to fall that far and he takes over the top spot.
Soderstrom jumps to the No. 2 spot. He might fall and if he does, he’d be quite the steal, talent-wise. As a prep player with a commitment to a college baseball powerhouse (UCLA), he has some leverage, so he’d likely be an over-slot guy if the Dodgers tabbed him with their first pick.
Miller and Bitsko are still back-to-back, while Cecconi jumps in the rankings due to a good ceiling/floor combination. Bitsko might not be long for this list since he’s posting some impressive bullpen work on his Instagram.
Wells and Dingler make their way into the Top 10, but for different reasons. Dingler might end up being the best catcher (and may not make it to No. 29), and he has a solid offensive profile. Wells probably won’t stick behind the plate, but his bat is one of the best in the class and will play anywhere on the field.
McMahon is making his Big Board debut. He’s super athletic (a former 3-spot star in high school) and has premium stuff. It’s a toss-up between he and Cecconi for the best University of Miami player in the class.
Westburg is back in the Top 20 and has been one of the most connected names to the Dodgers in mock drafts. He’s athletic, has plus-raw power and could stick at shortstop. Making contact is his biggest issue.
Another hard-throwing righty makes his Top 20 debut in Beeter. I want to put rank him higher because he has a high ceiling, but he’s coming off Tommy John and doesn’t have the longest track record of performing. He’s a sleeper for the Dodgers’ 1st-round pick.
Martin is also making his Top 20 debut. He has been described as one of the toolsiest position players in the draft. He’s a double-plus runner and has above-average raw power, but like Westburg before him, he has trouble making contact. It’s a bigger concern for him due to poor pitch recognition. Still, you can’t teach the athleticism.
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Like last time, I’ll give you some new names I’m watching for the second round. Again, the Dodgers’ two 2nd-rounders will depend on who they take in the first round.
- RHP Markevian Hence, Watson Chapel HS (Ark.)
- 1B Blaze Jordan, DeSoto Central HS (Miss.)
- RHP Alex Santos, Mount St. Michael HS (N.Y.)
- SS Anthony Servideo, Ole Miss
- C Daniel Susac, Jesuit HS (Calif.)
- 3B Jordan Walker, Decatur HS (Ga.)
- SS Alika Williams, Arizona State
- SS/RHP Masyn Winn, Kingwood HS (Texas)
Of these eight, Williams has the best chance to be a 1st-rounder. But the other seven are talented in their own right and would be great selections in the second.
