12 Picks We Loved From Day 2 Of The 2020 MLB Draft

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Carlos Collazo

RHP Koen Moreno, Cubs (147): If Moreno had more of a chance to pitch this spring, I think it’s likely the Cubs wouldn’t have had a shot to take him at No. 147. Every time Moreno pitches, it seems like he takes a step forward, as was the case for him the entirety of last summer. He oozes athleticism, is an exceptionally gifted mover over the rubber, has a lean and projectable frame and we haven’t even talked about his stuff yet. His fastball has ranged from 87-93 for the most part, but that velocity has steadily climbed and he should be throwing an above-average fastball soon. Pair that with advanced feel for an 81-85 mph changeup that has swing-and-miss qualities and terrific natural ability to spin a breaking ball, and he has all the traits you’re looking for.

LHP Logan Allen, Indians (56): This one is about the player himself, but also the fit with the organization. The Indians have done an excellent job with pitching development and this year they targeted college strikethrowers. Allen doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but he’s had great success with a solid three-pitch mix thanks to his command and his willingness to attack hitters inside. Cleveland has turned players of this profile into better pitchers before, so this seems like a great match for player and team.

3B Colt Keith, Tigers (132): We talked with scouts who believe Keith’s toolset fit in the second round or better. That’s an exciting pick for the fifth round for the Tigers, who just added a significant amount of talent to their farm. The sole high school player of Detroit’s class, Keith has terrific supplemental tools including plus power potential, plus running ability, plus arm strength and a frame that’s strong now and could add even more muscle in the future. If he hits he could be a steal at No. 132. 

Ben Badler

RHPs Masyn Winn (54) and Tink Hence (63), Cardinals: I love the young arms the Cardinals drafted on day two. Both righties were two of the primary high school pitching targets I would have had for the day, and the Cardinals ended up getting both. Neither of them is that tall, but they both have electric arm speed. Winn has a high-octane fastball, an out-pitch breaking ball and is an outstanding athlete, to the point where he’s a legitimate two-way prospect as a shortstop. Hence reaches the mid 90s and the arm speed is so fast that I think there’s more room for velocity gains once he gets stronger. He shows feel for spin on a breaking ball and he’s on the younger side for the class as well.

Josh Norris

RHP J.T. Ginn, Mets (52): It’s incredibly easy to like what the Mets did through the first three rounds. After nabbing Pete Crow-Armstrong on the first day, the team bet on upside with their next two picks. J.T. Ginn, an eligible sophomore, had Tommy John surgery in the middle of the season, but was talented enough in high school to earn a first-round selection. He made it through just three innings of his first start of the season before his elbow broke down, but the Mets were impressed enough by what he showed in his freshman year at Mississippi State to gamble with their second-round pick. When healthy, Ginn has a fastball up to 99 mph and a nasty, wipeout slider. The fastball’s electric running action makes it even more enviable. If Ginn comes back strong he has two potentially double-plus pitches and a potentially average changeup as well. That pick was impressive enough, but adding Isaiah Greene in the third round upped the ante even further. 

OF Isaiah Greene, Mets (69): Greene, our No. 49-ranked player, gave the Mets three picks among BA’s top 50 available. Gifted with a smooth lefty swing, Greene has drawn comparisons to Michael Brantley for his ease of operation. He’s a plus runner who runs solid routes, but a fringy arm could push him off of center field and into left. Coupling Greene and Crow-Armstrong in Citi Field in a few years could be a pitcher’s dream come true. Greene performed well against USA Baseball’s 18U National Team, which helped him jump onto scouts’ radars.

Teddy Cahill

3B Gage Workman, Tigers (102): For my money, the Tigers got the best value in the draft when they drafted Workman at the top of the fourth round. Workman is young for the class, has great size at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, can play either position on the left side of the infield and is just starting to realize his offensive potential. There’s an awful lot to dream on here, especially as a fourth-round pick.

Chris Trenkle

RHP Alex Santos, Astros (72): The Astros were denied a first or second-round pick thanks to a well-documented sign-stealing scandal, but made the most of their first pick at No. 72 by grabbing high-upside prep righthander Alex Santos. Santos pairs a mid-90s fastball that flashes plus with two potentially above-average secondary offerings—a high-spin curveball and a changeup that improved over the summer. A projection profile at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, Santos was the No. 45 prospect on the BA 500 and represented great value at pick 72. 

J.J. Cooper

RHP Cole Henry, Nationals (55): Henry was a draft-eligible sophomore which usually brings a higher price tag. You can construct a pretty convincing case that Henry may be a better pro prospect than fellow draft-eligible sophomore JT Ginn. Henry has a swing-and-miss fastball that passes the scout’s eye test and checks all the analytical boxes too. He also has a pro-caliber curveball and changeup, he just needs a lot of refinement, which is understandable since he’s still a college sophomore. Henry has a better pitch assortment than some of the pitchers who went 10-20 picks ahead of him.

RHP Cole Wilcox, Padres (80): The Padres work the draft more creatively than most teams. They shuffle money from pick to pick and often manage to land a big-money talent in later rounds that seemed unsignable. Last year, the Padres nabbed Hudson Head in the third round for $3 million, which was a larger signing bonus than 12 first-round picks received. They’ll likely need to do something similar with Wilcox. Wilcox was a draft-eligible sophomore with plenty of leverage who was seen as a mid-first round pick. Wilcox has to improve his control and command but he has a shot to be the best player taken on day two.

Joe Healy

1B/LHP Alec Burleson, Cardinals (70): The East Carolina two-way player. who the Cardinals drafted as a first baseman 70th overall, was a joy to watch at the college level. He was often the Pirates’ best hitter and best pitcher, and he plays the game with an edge that’s infectious. He’s got an above-average hit tool, with a sweet swing to go along with it. He was a lightly-recruited player at the time he committed to ECU before becoming one of the most productive players in college baseball over the last three years, which may bode well for his ability to overachieve his tools at the next level. Plus, it seems like a natural fit with the Cardinals, an organization that has a track record of turning productive college players without flashy tools into productive professionals.