Draft experts field questions about Top 100
Following the unveiling our 2021 Top 100 Draft Prospects list on Tuesday, our Draft experts, Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis, took to Twitter to answer your questions. Below is a handful of those questions and answers. For more, check the #MLBDraft hashtag on Twitter.
Do you view this draft as pretty deep due mostly to last years being so short? Seems like a lot of players who would normally be 1st rounders in the 2nd round.
-- @redsoxnstuff
Callis: I don't see that at the top. The Top 100 seems pretty average compared to most years for me. Maybe that changes as we get a better handle on college guys and more college position players emerge. It'll be deeper in rounds 6-20 because none of those guys got picked last year
If Kumar Rocker, Jack Leiter and Jordan Lawler were all in the 2020 MLB Draft where do you think each of them would've been drafted?
-- @puk32ellers
Callis: Somewhat a tough question because all of the 2020 college arms had a chance to prove themselves a lot more. Rocker could have gone behind Max Meyer and Asa Lacy. Leiter would have been in the Reid Detmers/Garrett Crochet range, maybe behind. Could argue Lawlar vs any of the non-Spencer Torkelson bats.
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Who's the most volatile player in your top 10? up or down?
-- @Y2Banana
Callis: I'm going to say Florida outfielder Jud Fabian. Some teams think he's the best college position player available, others worry about the .250 average in two years at Florida and the swing and miss.
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Some high school players not on the Top 100 that could climb up boards?
-- @JenkinsNahmir
Mayo: From my areas (Jim Callis and I split up the country), SS Davis Diaz and C Charlie Saum in California; C/RHP Jackson Baumeister and 1B Jac Caglianone in Florida; Calvin Ziegler, RHP in Canada, to name a few.
Callis: I'll tag-team on this question with non-Top 100 guys from my half of the country who could move up ... Alabama HS LHP Maddux Bruns (huge ceiling), Louisiana HS SS Peyton Stovall, South Carolina HS RHP Daniel Brooks, Mississippi LHP Doug Nikhazy (high floor guy).
I know MLB teams don't draft for need, but if it's between comparable talents, would the Tigers lean toward taking a hitter over a pitcher?
-- @puk32ellers
Mayo: System is really good and now has depth either way, so I don't think you can say "take a hitter" because of Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, Matt Manning, etc because they have Torkelson, Riley Greene, Isaac Paredes
Do you think the Pirates should go Lawler even though they have a lot of middle infield depth?
-- @piecorey
Mayo: Take the best player. Period. That should be the philosophy when picking No. 1. Worry about a logjam later.
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Most big league ready arm out there?
-- @BaseballCurtain
Mayo: Well ... Kumar Rocker's fastball-slider combo could get big league hitters out now, but in terms of overall polish, maybe lefty Jordan Wicks from Kansas State? Think Jack Leiter could climb into this conversation this spring.
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Is Jordan Lawler a Bobby Witt-type prospect, or not as highly thought of as Witt was coming out?
-- @TaySlices
Mayo: He draws that comp a lot, especially since he's a Dallas-area HS standout at SS. Witt's tools a tiny bit louder, but similar profiles.
Thoughts on Christian Franklin? How high can he climb?
-- @Y2Banana
Callis: Arkansas OF Franklin has four plus tools but also some questions about his bat. If he hits in the SEC this spring, could go in the middle of the 1st round.
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I have been able to see him swing the bat a lot at NC state and think he is so special. But do you guys think that C Luca Tresh has the tools to be a first rounder? I know the defensive sample size is limited.
-- @dustinms2
Callis: Teams need to see more track record, but I've had scouts tell me Tresh will a first-rounder. Big-time power, improving defense, needs to keep proving it behind the plate and show he can make consistent contact.