that size is a concern to me; on the current roster:
Bieber 6-3
Clevinger 6-4
Civale 6-2
Plesac 6-3
Plutko 6-3
Carrasco 6-4
In fact the only pitcher on the 40 man roster shorter than 6-2 is Hunter Wood at 6-1.
Re: Draft Folder
1097Yeah, but damn 205 lbs for a 6 footer is no small dude!
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Draft Folder
1098Carson Tucker is ready to follow — and surpass — his big-league brother
By Zach Buchanan Jun 10, 2020 13
In the spring of 2014, scouts filled the stands at Mountain Pointe High in Phoenix to get a glimpse of a future big-league shortstop. Cole Tucker was tall and lanky, with dark curls bouncing from under his hat as he ran around the infield. Soon, the 17-year-old switch-hitter would be a first-round draft pick, going No. 24 overall to the Pirates that summer. Five years later, he’d make his big-league debut.
But if those scouts were really paying attention, they also would have spied the 12-year-old facsimile of Tucker who was in attendance to cheer the shortstop on. The top of Carson Tucker’s head came only to Cole’s shoulder, although the stature would change as the younger brother would shoot up to 6-foot-2 over the next half-decade. So, correspondingly, would the attention. If scouts missed Carson Tucker then, they’ve noticed him since.
Wednesday, the 18-year-old was selected 23rd overall by the Cleveland Indians, surprising many who had him pegged as a second- or third-rounder. Instead, he went a pick ahead of where his older brother was drafted, and there are at least two people who are confident he’ll wind up the better player. One is Carson, who claims with a quiet certainty that he is better now than his brother was as an amateur. The other is Cole, who wholeheartedly agrees.
“Where he was at 5 years old was way better than I was at 5 years old,” Cole says. “Where he was at 10 years old was way better than I was at 10 years old. Where I was at 18, he’s just way better than me now.”
If Carson signs and forgoes his college commitment to the University of Texas, the Indians will be getting a polished shortstop who has benefited from his older brother’s experience even as he’s remained intent on blazing his own trail. They’ll also be getting a prospect who, despite a No. 84 placement in Keith Law’s latest prospect rankings, has some high-profile believers in his corner.
“Honestly, we always knew he was going to be good,” said Dodgers star Cody Bellinger, who has known Carson since playing high school travel ball with Cole. “I’m not just saying that. He was always a stud.”
Cole and Carson Tucker on draft day in 2014. (Courtesy of the Tucker family)
Instead of playing out his senior season, Carson Tucker spent the last few months working out in a friend’s garage. The company was pretty good, though. Among his batting practice companions were some of the best high school players to come out of the Phoenix area. Cole is there, as is Bellinger. So is former Phillies top prospect Scott Kingery, Red Sox prospect Bobby Dalbec and Blue Jays prospect Patrick Murphy.
Carson’s used to playing up, though. When he started playing Little League and travel ball, he took the field alongside kids two years his elder. He was small and scrawny as a freshman at Mountain Pointe, yet he claimed the starting job at second base. Matt Denny, who coached at Mountain Pointe for Carson’s first three years there, can’t remember a freshman making such an impact on varsity. “I think he had one error his entire year at second base as a freshman,” Denny says.
When it comes to natural ability, Cole draws a stark contrast to himself. His first-round status notwithstanding, Cole didn’t hit for much power as an amateur nor did he consider himself graceful in the field. “I was a little grinder,” Cole says. “Everything that ever happened to me was just because of a crazy amount of work and luck and hustle. Carson came out of the womb looking really smooth and acting like a big-leaguer.” Cole isn’t knocking his younger brother’s work ethic, though. It’s just that Carson always made the hard things look easy. “He’s turning 4-6-3 double plays and jumping over the kid sliding into him in like sixth grade,” Cole says. “Flipping balls between his legs and glove-flipping double plays and doing the Jeter jump-throw in elementary school. It just didn’t make sense.”
That’s not to say that Carson was flashy just for the sake of flash. He was as fundamentally sound as any player Denny’s had. “It seems like he never, ever gets a bad hop,” Denny says. That’s not a product of luck as much as preparation, the coach says. Bad hops “happen if your feet aren’t in the right spot.”
His swing, though Law noted a loop that “might need some tightening,” is similarly well-oiled. Scouts have questioned how much power the right-handed hitter ultimately will generate, but Denny points out that Carson hit two homers in three games before his senior season was canceled. He feels that Carson has something much rarer for a high school player that power — polish. “He knows his swing probably better than any player I’ve coached,” Denny says. “The adjustments that he can make offensively, you might say, ‘Hey, you’re doing this a little bit,’ and it’s just fixed.”
And if a high school coach’s opinion is too easy to dismiss, what about that of a reigning MVP?
“What people preach to kids and what people try to get kids to learn, he already has,” says Bellinger, who has hit in the cage with Carson the last few months and regularly watches video of the young shortstop’s mechanics. “He’s got the hip drive, the looseness, the quick-twitch, the hands. He’s got all that. When he goes into pro ball, there’s obviously going to be an adjustment period because he’s going to see constant velo, but he’s already got the swing.”
Constant comparison is the burden of the younger brother. Carson has learned to be at peace with it.
Cole is a happy-go-lucky player, “the crazy goofy one,” as Carson puts it. The young shortstop often finds people are surprised that he isn’t cut from the exact same cloth. Instead of goofy, he is reserved. His demeanor on the field is more businesslike. “I’m not the crazy, annoying, talking one like he is,” Carson says, gently ribbing his big brother. “I’m just my own person.”
If Carson has an overarching goal in baseball, aside from advancing as far as he can in the sport, it’s to do it his own way. Though he is a shortstop like his brother, he’s never tried to be his brother. He never wore his hair long like Cole’s until this year, and even then he styles it differently. While he wouldn’t have been upset to have been drafted by the Pirates, he says that “in a perfect world, I would want to do my own thing.”
The lack of idol worship doesn’t bother Cole. He celebrates his brother’s differences, using a couple of famous shortstops as analogs. Cole is like José Reyes, “running all over the place, smiling, hair bouncing, acting like an idiot,” he says. By comparison, “Carson is like Troy Tulowitzki — very coordinated, very cerebral, very athletic.” (Following that comparison to its logical conclusion, we can expect the two Tucker boys to be traded for one another someday. Says Cole: “That would be insane, huh?”)
Carson’s desire to stand on his own doesn’t mean that he hasn’t taken advantage of his brother’s experience, though. Every summer while Cole was in the minors, Carson would visit — in Altoona, in Bradenton, in Charleston, West Virginia — sitting in the dugout during games and taking batting practice and grounders with the pros. “He’s lived the pro baseball lifestyle more than any other kid who’s going through the draft,” Cole says. Though Cole doesn’t feel he has much to teach his brother about his mechanics at short or at the plate, they talk often about game situations.
Then there are Carson’s other, surrogate brothers — Bellinger, Kingery and the rest. They all entered the pro ranks during a time of transition in player development, with teams using new tools to teach new techniques. Those methods are now more widespread, and Carson will begin his career already versed in them. When you hit regularly with three big-leaguers, including one of the game’s best hitters in Bellinger, you’ll pick up a few things.
That’s why, on top of all the natural gifts his brother possesses, Cole is sure that Carson is ticketed for success.
“If pro baseball is the test,” Cole says, “he’s gotten a damn good study guide from all of us.”
(Top photo: Courtesy of Mountain Pointe High School)
In the spring of 2014, scouts filled the stands at Mountain Pointe High in Phoenix to get a glimpse of a future big-league shortstop. Cole Tucker was tall and lanky, with dark curls bouncing from under his hat as he ran around the infield. Soon, the 17-year-old switch-hitter would be a first-round draft pick, going No. 24 overall to the Pirates that summer. Five years later, he’d make his big-league debut.
But if those scouts were really paying attention, they also would have spied the 12-year-old facsimile of Tucker who was in attendance to cheer the shortstop on. The top of Carson Tucker’s head came only to Cole’s shoulder, although the stature would change as the younger brother would shoot up to 6-foot-2 over the next half-decade. So, correspondingly, would the attention. If scouts missed Carson Tucker then, they’ve noticed him since.
Wednesday, the 18-year-old was selected 23rd overall by the Cleveland Indians, surprising many who had him pegged as a second- or third-rounder. Instead, he went a pick ahead of where his older brother was drafted, and there are at least two people who are confident he’ll wind up the better player. One is Carson, who claims with a quiet certainty that he is better now than his brother was as an amateur. The other is Cole, who wholeheartedly agrees.
“Where he was at 5 years old was way better than I was at 5 years old,” Cole says. “Where he was at 10 years old was way better than I was at 10 years old. Where I was at 18, he’s just way better than me now.”
If Carson signs and forgoes his college commitment to the University of Texas, the Indians will be getting a polished shortstop who has benefited from his older brother’s experience even as he’s remained intent on blazing his own trail. They’ll also be getting a prospect who, despite a No. 84 placement in Keith Law’s latest prospect rankings, has some high-profile believers in his corner.
“Honestly, we always knew he was going to be good,” said Dodgers star Cody Bellinger, who has known Carson since playing high school travel ball with Cole. “I’m not just saying that. He was always a stud.”
Instead of playing out his senior season, Carson Tucker spent the last few months working out in a friend’s garage. The company was pretty good, though. Among his batting practice companions were some of the best high school players to come out of the Phoenix area. Cole is there, as is Bellinger. So is former Phillies top prospect Scott Kingery, Red Sox prospect Bobby Dalbec and Blue Jays prospect Patrick Murphy.
Carson’s used to playing up, though. When he started playing Little League and travel ball, he took the field alongside kids two years his elder. He was small and scrawny as a freshman at Mountain Pointe, yet he claimed the starting job at second base. Matt Denny, who coached at Mountain Pointe for Carson’s first three years there, can’t remember a freshman making such an impact on varsity. “I think he had one error his entire year at second base as a freshman,” Denny says.
When it comes to natural ability, Cole draws a stark contrast to himself. His first-round status notwithstanding, Cole didn’t hit for much power as an amateur nor did he consider himself graceful in the field. “I was a little grinder,” Cole says. “Everything that ever happened to me was just because of a crazy amount of work and luck and hustle. Carson came out of the womb looking really smooth and acting like a big-leaguer.” Cole isn’t knocking his younger brother’s work ethic, though. It’s just that Carson always made the hard things look easy. “He’s turning 4-6-3 double plays and jumping over the kid sliding into him in like sixth grade,” Cole says. “Flipping balls between his legs and glove-flipping double plays and doing the Jeter jump-throw in elementary school. It just didn’t make sense.”
That’s not to say that Carson was flashy just for the sake of flash. He was as fundamentally sound as any player Denny’s had. “It seems like he never, ever gets a bad hop,” Denny says. That’s not a product of luck as much as preparation, the coach says. Bad hops “happen if your feet aren’t in the right spot.”
His swing, though Law noted a loop that “might need some tightening,” is similarly well-oiled. Scouts have questioned how much power the right-handed hitter ultimately will generate, but Denny points out that Carson hit two homers in three games before his senior season was canceled. He feels that Carson has something much rarer for a high school player that power — polish. “He knows his swing probably better than any player I’ve coached,” Denny says. “The adjustments that he can make offensively, you might say, ‘Hey, you’re doing this a little bit,’ and it’s just fixed.”
And if a high school coach’s opinion is too easy to dismiss, what about that of a reigning MVP?
“What people preach to kids and what people try to get kids to learn, he already has,” says Bellinger, who has hit in the cage with Carson the last few months and regularly watches video of the young shortstop’s mechanics. “He’s got the hip drive, the looseness, the quick-twitch, the hands. He’s got all that. When he goes into pro ball, there’s obviously going to be an adjustment period because he’s going to see constant velo, but he’s already got the swing.”
Constant comparison is the burden of the younger brother. Carson has learned to be at peace with it.
Cole is a happy-go-lucky player, “the crazy goofy one,” as Carson puts it. The young shortstop often finds people are surprised that he isn’t cut from the exact same cloth. Instead of goofy, he is reserved. His demeanor on the field is more businesslike. “I’m not the crazy, annoying, talking one like he is,” Carson says, gently ribbing his big brother. “I’m just my own person.”
If Carson has an overarching goal in baseball, aside from advancing as far as he can in the sport, it’s to do it his own way. Though he is a shortstop like his brother, he’s never tried to be his brother. He never wore his hair long like Cole’s until this year, and even then he styles it differently. While he wouldn’t have been upset to have been drafted by the Pirates, he says that “in a perfect world, I would want to do my own thing.”
The lack of idol worship doesn’t bother Cole. He celebrates his brother’s differences, using a couple of famous shortstops as analogs. Cole is like José Reyes, “running all over the place, smiling, hair bouncing, acting like an idiot,” he says. By comparison, “Carson is like Troy Tulowitzki — very coordinated, very cerebral, very athletic.” (Following that comparison to its logical conclusion, we can expect the two Tucker boys to be traded for one another someday. Says Cole: “That would be insane, huh?”)
Carson’s desire to stand on his own doesn’t mean that he hasn’t taken advantage of his brother’s experience, though. Every summer while Cole was in the minors, Carson would visit — in Altoona, in Bradenton, in Charleston, West Virginia — sitting in the dugout during games and taking batting practice and grounders with the pros. “He’s lived the pro baseball lifestyle more than any other kid who’s going through the draft,” Cole says. Though Cole doesn’t feel he has much to teach his brother about his mechanics at short or at the plate, they talk often about game situations.
Then there are Carson’s other, surrogate brothers — Bellinger, Kingery and the rest. They all entered the pro ranks during a time of transition in player development, with teams using new tools to teach new techniques. Those methods are now more widespread, and Carson will begin his career already versed in them. When you hit regularly with three big-leaguers, including one of the game’s best hitters in Bellinger, you’ll pick up a few things.
That’s why, on top of all the natural gifts his brother possesses, Cole is sure that Carson is ticketed for success.
“If pro baseball is the test,” Cole says, “he’s gotten a damn good study guide from all of us.”
(Top photo: Courtesy of Mountain Pointe High School)
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Draft Folder
1099Indians selected RHP Tanner Burns of Auburn with the 36th pick in the 2020 MLB Draft.
Burns was a potential first-round pick coming out of high school, but decided to honor his commitment to Auburn. While he doesn't have elite size, the 6-foot, 205-pound right-hander has elite arm-strength, and gets his fastball up to 97 mph and he gets good spin on the offering.
He also has a solid slider, and his change gives him a quality third offering. There's not huge upside with Burns, but he should be a starter at the highest level.
Burns was a potential first-round pick coming out of high school, but decided to honor his commitment to Auburn. While he doesn't have elite size, the 6-foot, 205-pound right-hander has elite arm-strength, and gets his fastball up to 97 mph and he gets good spin on the offering.
He also has a solid slider, and his change gives him a quality third offering. There's not huge upside with Burns, but he should be a starter at the highest level.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Draft Folder
1100On Day 2, Indians double Logan Allen allotment
By Mandy Bell @MandyBell02
More coverage ¬
CLEVELAND -- After the Indians made their sixth and final selection of the 2020 MLB Draft on Thursday night MLB Network analyst and former Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd was straightforward in his description of the club’s draft: “Without a doubt, they won Night 2.”
The Indians felt the same way.
Cleveland took a high school shortstop, Carson Tucker, with their first pick on Wednesday and also selected Tanner Burns, a right-handed starter out of Auburn University. The club returned Thursday and drafted two more collegiate hurlers, another high school shortstop and an outfielder in the Draft, shortened to five rounds because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Every time we get to this point in the year, it is an incredible feeling,” Indians amateur scouting director Scott Barnsby said. “… I can’t say enough about the work of not just all the scouts, but our player development staff. And with the unique situation, we had so many people involved this year. We felt like we were organized and prepared all the way through, and that’s what mattered. And we’re really excited about the guys we [drafted].”
Let’s take a look at each of the four prospects the Indians drafted Thursday night:
Round 2, No. 56th overall: Logan Allen, LHP, Florida International
The Indians have high hopes for lefty Logan Allen’s future in their starting rotation, so why not add another left-handed Logan Allen to the organization?
With the 56th overall pick, the Tribe selected 21-year-old southpaw Logan Allen from Florida International University.
“I’ve been getting his baseball cards since he played for Team USA,” said the elder Allen, who is on the Indians’ 40-man roster. “Just glad I’ve got a couple inches on him.”
Logan Allen
✔
@Logan__Allen
I’d like to thank everyone that reached out to me about getting drafted today! Lucky to not only been drafted once, but been drafted twice. And this time I was drafted higher, and by the team I thought I played for already! @Indians #RallyTogether
Allen was first drafted in 2017 out of high school in the 16th round by the Orioles but decided to attend Florida International instead. Unlike the Allen who joined the Tribe at the Trade Deadline last year, the newly drafted Allen was a two-way player during college. He is expected to just stick to pitching as a professional.
“It was good for college, but at the next level, he’s a pitcher only,” MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo said on MLB Network. “I think what it does show is that he has some athleticism and that does help him on the mound.”
According to MLB Pipeline, the left-hander sits right around 90 mph with his fastball but can hit 93 mph at times. His changeup is known to be his best pitch that’s effective against both righties and lefties. His pinpoint control was said to be among the best in this year’s Draft class, and he has shown the ability to keep hitters off-balance.
“He's a strike thrower,” Florida International head coach Mervyl Melendez said. “Logan can command both sides of the plate. His plus pitch is a changeup, as we all know, but his poise, his maturity -- he's a great clubhouse guy. He does so many things well, but he is a true professional who played in college for the last three years. I think the transition into professional baseball is going to be very, very easy for him. And I expect Logan to be a quick riser to the big leagues.”
Melendez’s son has played with Allen since the two were 5 years old, allowing Melendez to have a front-row seat in watching Allen grow and develop.
“One of the things that is that I've told many people is that he has been a really good player for a very long time,” Melendez said. “I saw him being a first- or second-rounder, because that's just never the goal when you're watch a player that is, you know, 6-10 years old develop. It's just he was always talented. He could always pitch. He could always throw strikes. He could always command the zone. So he had a really advanced approach, and you can see what he's done in his in his prep career and that I think he's going to carry that over to the professional ranks.”
Logan Allen
✔
@Logan__Allen
All jokes aside. Congrats @_Logan2Allen ! Well deserved and you’re with a great org!
Round 3, No. 95 overall: Petey Halpin, OF, Mira Costa High School (Calif.)
It's easy to root for an underdog, and while Pete Crow-Armstrong -- who was drafted in the first round by the Mets -- was the California outfielder who received a lot of attention heading into the Draft, MLB.com analyst Jonathan Mayo said Petey Halpin may not have received the hype he deserved.
“I think he’s really underrated,” Mayo said. “Everyone talks about Pete Crow-Armstrong, and he’s a great player and belonged in the first round, but there’s some scouts who don’t think that Halpin is really that far behind Crow-Armstrong in terms of ability.”
Halpin had a chance to play at Progressive Field last summer during the High School MLB All-Star Game in July. His scouting report rates his hit tool over power, but he has shown he has the ability to drive the ball and was launching balls out of Angel Stadium last fall. His best tools are his arm strength and speed.
“Petey’s got the speed, the athleticism and certainly the instincts and plenty of arm strength to stay in center field,” Barnsby said. “Offensively, it’s just an advanced feel for the barrel. He continues to develop physically, so we feel there’s going to be some power there down the road. He’s an extreme competitor, plays with energy. He’s really just fearless on the field -- another guy that we’re really excited to add.”
Halpin is committed to the University of Texas and will carry his fun-loving personality to whichever team he decides to pursue.
“[Baseball is] the place where I have the most fun,” Halpin said. “I can hang out with my friends and not have any worries about anything else. I will be smiling the entire game. I like to play controlled, but at the same time, quick, moving around fast and causing havoc.”
Round 4, No. 124 overall: Milan Tolentino, SS, Santa Margarita Catholic High School (Calif.)
Before the Draft, Milan Tolentino was interviewed by the MLB Network crew and was asked which big leaguer he looked up to the most. His answer? None other than Indians starting shortstop Francisco Lindor.
“ because of the way he has fun, the way he knows the game,” Tolentino said. “I like his laid-backness, while staying serious. It's a good model."
Tolentino is the son of former big leaguer and current Angels Spanish radio broadcaster José Tolentino. He has a swing that has been compared to Johnny Damon’s and is a tough out with an opposite-field approach. He was the starting shortstop for Team USA last year and hit .286 with a .733 OPS and four RBIs in nine games.
“Really just an impressive all-around player,” Barnsby said. “He’s got instincts. He’s got well above-average feel for the game. It’s a left-handed bat. Really consistent approach at the plate. Not only is he able to recognize pitches, but he’s got a really impressive ability to put the bat on the ball. Uses the whole field. Starting to show some more power.”
The experts at MLB Pipeline expect Tolentino’s offensive numbers to define what kind of overall prospect he will become because they have very little doubt in his ability at shortstop. Regarded as one of the most natural defenders in this year’s draft class, Tolentino’s scouting report on MLB Pipeline lists his 60-grade fielding ability and 60-grade arm strength.
“Defensively, just really fundamentally sound,” Barnsby said. “Sure-handed defender. Just an outstanding internal clock. A lot of fun to watch him out on the field.”
Round 5, No. 154 overall: Mason Hickman, RHP, Vanderbilt
The 6-foot-6 right-hander may not have been the biggest standout among Vanderbilt’s loaded pitching staff, but Mason Hickman consistently put his team in a position to win, boasting a 19-2 record with a 3.13 ERA in three college seasons (29 starts, 189 2/3 innings). His best pitch is his curveball, and his fastball sits between 89-91 mph, but it misses bats because of his command.
“Above average feel for the mound,” Barnsby said. “… He can really pitch with his fastball. Above-average feel for the curveball. It’s an effective slider. Feel for the changeup, and similar to Logan Allen, he absolutely pounds the strike zone.”
As a sophomore in 2019, Hickman struck out nine or more batters in five of his final six starts, and he fanned 10 in Vanderbilt’s College World Series-clinching win last June. Before the coronavirus pandemic ended his junior season, he was 2-0 with a 0.48 ERA in three starts, posting a 26 strikeouts and only three walks.
“Mason has turned into one of the most dependable and reliable starting pitchers that we have had in our program,” Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin wrote on Hickman’s player page. “He continues to develop and get better as his craft while taking on a leadership role on our pitching staff. He is a quality young man that excels in the classroom as well. Very competitive in everything that he does.”
Indians draft RHP Hickman No. 154
Jun 11, 2020 · 1:41
Indians draft RHP Hickman No. 154
Mandy Bell covers the Indians for MLB.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MandyBell02.
Read more: Cleveland Indians
By Mandy Bell @MandyBell02
More coverage ¬
CLEVELAND -- After the Indians made their sixth and final selection of the 2020 MLB Draft on Thursday night MLB Network analyst and former Rockies general manager Dan O’Dowd was straightforward in his description of the club’s draft: “Without a doubt, they won Night 2.”
The Indians felt the same way.
Cleveland took a high school shortstop, Carson Tucker, with their first pick on Wednesday and also selected Tanner Burns, a right-handed starter out of Auburn University. The club returned Thursday and drafted two more collegiate hurlers, another high school shortstop and an outfielder in the Draft, shortened to five rounds because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Every time we get to this point in the year, it is an incredible feeling,” Indians amateur scouting director Scott Barnsby said. “… I can’t say enough about the work of not just all the scouts, but our player development staff. And with the unique situation, we had so many people involved this year. We felt like we were organized and prepared all the way through, and that’s what mattered. And we’re really excited about the guys we [drafted].”
Let’s take a look at each of the four prospects the Indians drafted Thursday night:
Round 2, No. 56th overall: Logan Allen, LHP, Florida International
The Indians have high hopes for lefty Logan Allen’s future in their starting rotation, so why not add another left-handed Logan Allen to the organization?
With the 56th overall pick, the Tribe selected 21-year-old southpaw Logan Allen from Florida International University.
“I’ve been getting his baseball cards since he played for Team USA,” said the elder Allen, who is on the Indians’ 40-man roster. “Just glad I’ve got a couple inches on him.”
Logan Allen
✔
@Logan__Allen
I’d like to thank everyone that reached out to me about getting drafted today! Lucky to not only been drafted once, but been drafted twice. And this time I was drafted higher, and by the team I thought I played for already! @Indians #RallyTogether
Allen was first drafted in 2017 out of high school in the 16th round by the Orioles but decided to attend Florida International instead. Unlike the Allen who joined the Tribe at the Trade Deadline last year, the newly drafted Allen was a two-way player during college. He is expected to just stick to pitching as a professional.
“It was good for college, but at the next level, he’s a pitcher only,” MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo said on MLB Network. “I think what it does show is that he has some athleticism and that does help him on the mound.”
According to MLB Pipeline, the left-hander sits right around 90 mph with his fastball but can hit 93 mph at times. His changeup is known to be his best pitch that’s effective against both righties and lefties. His pinpoint control was said to be among the best in this year’s Draft class, and he has shown the ability to keep hitters off-balance.
“He's a strike thrower,” Florida International head coach Mervyl Melendez said. “Logan can command both sides of the plate. His plus pitch is a changeup, as we all know, but his poise, his maturity -- he's a great clubhouse guy. He does so many things well, but he is a true professional who played in college for the last three years. I think the transition into professional baseball is going to be very, very easy for him. And I expect Logan to be a quick riser to the big leagues.”
Melendez’s son has played with Allen since the two were 5 years old, allowing Melendez to have a front-row seat in watching Allen grow and develop.
“One of the things that is that I've told many people is that he has been a really good player for a very long time,” Melendez said. “I saw him being a first- or second-rounder, because that's just never the goal when you're watch a player that is, you know, 6-10 years old develop. It's just he was always talented. He could always pitch. He could always throw strikes. He could always command the zone. So he had a really advanced approach, and you can see what he's done in his in his prep career and that I think he's going to carry that over to the professional ranks.”
Logan Allen
✔
@Logan__Allen
All jokes aside. Congrats @_Logan2Allen ! Well deserved and you’re with a great org!
Round 3, No. 95 overall: Petey Halpin, OF, Mira Costa High School (Calif.)
It's easy to root for an underdog, and while Pete Crow-Armstrong -- who was drafted in the first round by the Mets -- was the California outfielder who received a lot of attention heading into the Draft, MLB.com analyst Jonathan Mayo said Petey Halpin may not have received the hype he deserved.
“I think he’s really underrated,” Mayo said. “Everyone talks about Pete Crow-Armstrong, and he’s a great player and belonged in the first round, but there’s some scouts who don’t think that Halpin is really that far behind Crow-Armstrong in terms of ability.”
Halpin had a chance to play at Progressive Field last summer during the High School MLB All-Star Game in July. His scouting report rates his hit tool over power, but he has shown he has the ability to drive the ball and was launching balls out of Angel Stadium last fall. His best tools are his arm strength and speed.
“Petey’s got the speed, the athleticism and certainly the instincts and plenty of arm strength to stay in center field,” Barnsby said. “Offensively, it’s just an advanced feel for the barrel. He continues to develop physically, so we feel there’s going to be some power there down the road. He’s an extreme competitor, plays with energy. He’s really just fearless on the field -- another guy that we’re really excited to add.”
Halpin is committed to the University of Texas and will carry his fun-loving personality to whichever team he decides to pursue.
“[Baseball is] the place where I have the most fun,” Halpin said. “I can hang out with my friends and not have any worries about anything else. I will be smiling the entire game. I like to play controlled, but at the same time, quick, moving around fast and causing havoc.”
Round 4, No. 124 overall: Milan Tolentino, SS, Santa Margarita Catholic High School (Calif.)
Before the Draft, Milan Tolentino was interviewed by the MLB Network crew and was asked which big leaguer he looked up to the most. His answer? None other than Indians starting shortstop Francisco Lindor.
“ because of the way he has fun, the way he knows the game,” Tolentino said. “I like his laid-backness, while staying serious. It's a good model."
Tolentino is the son of former big leaguer and current Angels Spanish radio broadcaster José Tolentino. He has a swing that has been compared to Johnny Damon’s and is a tough out with an opposite-field approach. He was the starting shortstop for Team USA last year and hit .286 with a .733 OPS and four RBIs in nine games.
“Really just an impressive all-around player,” Barnsby said. “He’s got instincts. He’s got well above-average feel for the game. It’s a left-handed bat. Really consistent approach at the plate. Not only is he able to recognize pitches, but he’s got a really impressive ability to put the bat on the ball. Uses the whole field. Starting to show some more power.”
The experts at MLB Pipeline expect Tolentino’s offensive numbers to define what kind of overall prospect he will become because they have very little doubt in his ability at shortstop. Regarded as one of the most natural defenders in this year’s draft class, Tolentino’s scouting report on MLB Pipeline lists his 60-grade fielding ability and 60-grade arm strength.
“Defensively, just really fundamentally sound,” Barnsby said. “Sure-handed defender. Just an outstanding internal clock. A lot of fun to watch him out on the field.”
Round 5, No. 154 overall: Mason Hickman, RHP, Vanderbilt
The 6-foot-6 right-hander may not have been the biggest standout among Vanderbilt’s loaded pitching staff, but Mason Hickman consistently put his team in a position to win, boasting a 19-2 record with a 3.13 ERA in three college seasons (29 starts, 189 2/3 innings). His best pitch is his curveball, and his fastball sits between 89-91 mph, but it misses bats because of his command.
“Above average feel for the mound,” Barnsby said. “… He can really pitch with his fastball. Above-average feel for the curveball. It’s an effective slider. Feel for the changeup, and similar to Logan Allen, he absolutely pounds the strike zone.”
As a sophomore in 2019, Hickman struck out nine or more batters in five of his final six starts, and he fanned 10 in Vanderbilt’s College World Series-clinching win last June. Before the coronavirus pandemic ended his junior season, he was 2-0 with a 0.48 ERA in three starts, posting a 26 strikeouts and only three walks.
“Mason has turned into one of the most dependable and reliable starting pitchers that we have had in our program,” Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin wrote on Hickman’s player page. “He continues to develop and get better as his craft while taking on a leadership role on our pitching staff. He is a quality young man that excels in the classroom as well. Very competitive in everything that he does.”
Indians draft RHP Hickman No. 154
Jun 11, 2020 · 1:41
Indians draft RHP Hickman No. 154
Mandy Bell covers the Indians for MLB.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MandyBell02.
Read more: Cleveland Indians
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Draft Folder
1101I'm looking forward to a starting rotation featuring two Logan Allens; we can really confuse the opposition. This new one is another shorter guy. Doesn't mean he won't succeed, but more of a challenge. Unlike the 2 Logans, we've never had a Milan to my knowledge or a Petey. I'll see how BA or Baseball Reference rank our collection.
Re: Draft Folder
1102from my friends at Baseball America:
We’ll need a few years to see how every team did in the 2020 draft, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get excited about some of the classes right now. Here are five draft classes that stood out to us right away after the picks were all in Thursday night.
1. White Sox
2. Indians:
1.23 — SS Carson Tucker (61)
1S.36 — RHP Tanner Burns (26)
2.56 — LHP Logan Allen (54)
3.95 — OF Petey Halpin (82)
4.124 — SS Milan Tolentino (94)
5.154 — RHP Mason Hickman (161)
Where the White Sox’ strategy seemed to be heavily putting resources to the team’s first two picks, the Indians had a more balanced approach, with top-100 players selected with their first five picks and a top-200 player with their final pick.
Cleveland seems to have a great feel for what their player development does well, as each of their college arms grade out strongly in the strikethrowing department, while they’ve also done a good job with contact-oriented, athletic up-the-middle players. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see each of Burns, Allen and Hickman make jumps in the next year or so.
Perhaps the Tolentino selection jumps out the most, as his UCLA commitment could have made him difficult to sign in the fourth round. Tolentino is an immensely polished high school product to go off the board with the 124th pick, and if he adds strength in pro ball, he could be a dangerous all-around threat.
3. Tigers
4. Pirates
5. Padres
Not sure if the list is rank order or alphabetical by city.
We’ll need a few years to see how every team did in the 2020 draft, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get excited about some of the classes right now. Here are five draft classes that stood out to us right away after the picks were all in Thursday night.
1. White Sox
2. Indians:
1.23 — SS Carson Tucker (61)
1S.36 — RHP Tanner Burns (26)
2.56 — LHP Logan Allen (54)
3.95 — OF Petey Halpin (82)
4.124 — SS Milan Tolentino (94)
5.154 — RHP Mason Hickman (161)
Where the White Sox’ strategy seemed to be heavily putting resources to the team’s first two picks, the Indians had a more balanced approach, with top-100 players selected with their first five picks and a top-200 player with their final pick.
Cleveland seems to have a great feel for what their player development does well, as each of their college arms grade out strongly in the strikethrowing department, while they’ve also done a good job with contact-oriented, athletic up-the-middle players. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see each of Burns, Allen and Hickman make jumps in the next year or so.
Perhaps the Tolentino selection jumps out the most, as his UCLA commitment could have made him difficult to sign in the fourth round. Tolentino is an immensely polished high school product to go off the board with the 124th pick, and if he adds strength in pro ball, he could be a dangerous all-around threat.
3. Tigers
4. Pirates
5. Padres
Not sure if the list is rank order or alphabetical by city.
Re: Draft Folder
1103Zig while the others zag?
So as civ pointed out earlier, drafting guys like Civale, Plesac, Bieber - command guys instead of power guys like all or many of the other teams?
So as civ pointed out earlier, drafting guys like Civale, Plesac, Bieber - command guys instead of power guys like all or many of the other teams?
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Draft Folder
1104Control pitchers and solid middle infielders. That's our pattern.
If Naylor develops we will also have a top catcher.
We could start moving middle infielders all over the diamond to fill up the lineup.
too bad none of our many highly talented teenagers are missing the season. Winter Ball could be very active if the virus is well in retreat in Central America by late fall.
If Naylor develops we will also have a top catcher.
We could start moving middle infielders all over the diamond to fill up the lineup.
too bad none of our many highly talented teenagers are missing the season. Winter Ball could be very active if the virus is well in retreat in Central America by late fall.
Re: Draft Folder
1105Oh great, now you got joez all excited.civ ollilavad wrote:Winter Ball could be very active if the virus is well in retreat in Central America by late fall.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Draft Folder
1106Draft is over. Free-for-all signing extra players for $20k.
Won't be hearing their names again for 3-5 years
Won't be hearing their names again for 3-5 years
Re: Draft Folder
1107You wont' hear their names, but I will be following them intensely whenever they start playing. First I'll need to learn their names, I want to compare the kid in the first round with the 2 good field no hit SS drafted last year but for now can only recall Miguel Cairo's kid who had a really awful debut in 2019
Re: Draft Folder
1110Indians
While all of the teams above had one of the first nine picks, Cleveland had a strong Draft even if it had to wait until No. 23. Using that choice on Arizona prep shortstop Carson Tucker (who, like his brother on the Pirates, Cole, plays a solid shortstop and offers offensive upside) and a supplemental first-rounder on Auburn right-hander Tanner Burns (who works with a 92-97 mph fastball and shows signs of a plus breaking ball) positioned the Indians for the best second-day Draft.
They got value with each of those selections: polished Florida International left-hander Logan Allen (second round); toolsy California high school outfielder Petey Halpin (third); California prep shortstop Milan Tolentino (fourth), a quality defender and patient hitter; and Vanderbilt right-hander Mason Hickman (fifth), a proven winner whose command helps his average stuff play up.
Here's the whole page. Scroll down to Indians for a nice video on Tolentino:
https://www.mlb.com/news/top-classes-in ... -mlb-draft
While all of the teams above had one of the first nine picks, Cleveland had a strong Draft even if it had to wait until No. 23. Using that choice on Arizona prep shortstop Carson Tucker (who, like his brother on the Pirates, Cole, plays a solid shortstop and offers offensive upside) and a supplemental first-rounder on Auburn right-hander Tanner Burns (who works with a 92-97 mph fastball and shows signs of a plus breaking ball) positioned the Indians for the best second-day Draft.
They got value with each of those selections: polished Florida International left-hander Logan Allen (second round); toolsy California high school outfielder Petey Halpin (third); California prep shortstop Milan Tolentino (fourth), a quality defender and patient hitter; and Vanderbilt right-hander Mason Hickman (fifth), a proven winner whose command helps his average stuff play up.
Here's the whole page. Scroll down to Indians for a nice video on Tolentino:
https://www.mlb.com/news/top-classes-in ... -mlb-draft
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain