8 prospects to attend MLB Draft in Denver
Eight highly touted prospects will be on hand for the opening night of the 2021 MLB Draft on Sunday at the Bellco Theatre in Denver.
Along with helping to kick off the All-Star festivities for the week, the Draft will be a star-studded event in and of itself. In addition to the eight Draft prospects, Sunday's event will also feature 17 former Major League All-Stars -- including five Hall of Famers.
Here is a look at each of the players attending Sunday's session, as well as their MLB Pipeline ranking:
Henry Davis, C, Louisville (No. 5): Davis was phenomenal this spring, slashing .370/.482/.663 with 15 homers and 10 stolen bases for the Cardinals. Though he has plenty of potential as a hitter, he's even better behind the plate, where he pairs incredible arm strength with quick footwork and good throwing accuracy.
Jordan Wicks, LHP, Kansas State (No. 16): Kansas State has never had a pitcher selected in the first three rounds, but that figures to change with Wicks. He's the clear-cut top available southpaw in the 2021 Draft and he has a long history of collegiate success, going back to when he was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2019. More recently, he racked up a school-record 118 strikeouts this spring.
Joe Mack, C, Williamsville East (N.Y.) High School (No. 19): The left-handed-hitting Mack has impressive potential on both sides of the ball. He's displayed the ability to be an above-average hitter, while also showing off elite pop times and impressive arm strength behind the dish.
Colson Montgomery, INF, Southridge (Ind.) High School (No. 25): The 6-foot-4 Montgomery is the all-time leading scorer in basketball at Southridge High, but his future will be on the diamond. He made impressive strides during the showcase circuit last summer, then continued to turn heads at the World Wood Bat Association World Championship in October before guiding Southridge to its first Indiana 3A championship this spring.
Ryan Cusick, RHP, Wake Forest (No. 26): One of the hardest-throwing pitchers in the Draft, Cusick's fastball has been clocked as fast as 102 mph. The electric offering typically sits at 94-97 mph with high spin rates and plenty of riding action that he carries deep into his outings.
Chase Petty, RHP, Mainland Regional (N.J.) High School (No. 27): Petty turned plenty of heads during the high school showcase circuit last summer, then kept that going this spring when he was named New Jersey's Gatorade High School Player of the Year. He regularly sits in the upper 90s and has touched triple-digits with his fastball.
Matt Mikulski, LHP, Fordham (No. 50): After going undrafted in the five-round 2020 MLB Draft, Mikulski returned to Fordham and vastly improved his stock this spring. With a cleaned-up delivery and improved velocity -- his fastball touches 98 mph on a regular basis and he sat 95-98 mph for a nine-inning outing in April -- he was named the Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Year, along with being a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist.
Trey Sweeney, INF, Eastern Illinois (No. 55): The 6-foot-4 Sweeney has a big leg kick and a bit of a hitch in his swing -- but he certainly makes it all work. Between his outstanding hand-eye coordination and his plate discipline, Sweeney is able to make hard contact to all field against both right-handers and left-handers, as well as high velocity and breaking pitches.