'Told you so': Prediction comes true 7 years later
Manny Randhawa
@MannyOnMLBCole Tucker knew it seven years ago.
The Pirates shortstop, whom Pittsburgh chose with the 24th overall selection in the 2014 MLB Draft, tweeted on Jan. 10, 2013, that his younger brother would be a first-round pick himself someday.
Someday was Wednesday, when in the first round of the 2020 Draft, the Indians selected Carson Tucker with the 23rd overall pick out of Mountain Pointe (Ariz.) High School, the same school from which Carson was drafted six years earlier.
The younger Tucker is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound shortstop who, much like his older brother, was somewhat of a surprise first-round pick after improving his stock with a strong spring. At the plate, he is a solid contact hitter who showed more pop earlier this year. Defensively, he is sure-handed at shortstop and could stick at the position professionally.
Cole made his Major League debut with Pittsburgh last season, hitting .211/.266/.361 with two home runs in 159 plate appearances.
It came half a dozen years after Cole was drafted, but Carson appears to have a new bragging right over his big brother -- he was selected one pick higher.