2020 Top 100 Prospects
Image credit: Masyn Winn (Photo by Mike Janes/Four Seam Images)
Baseball America compiles draft rankings in consultation with major league scouts, front office executives, scouting directors and other professional evaluators. This list is an attempt to gauge the industry’s consensus on the top 100 players in the 2020 high school draft class at the current moment. While much is sure to change with plenty of time between now and the 2020 draft, we believe this gives a solid gauge of the strengths and weaknesses of the class as it stands now.
With major fall events in the rearview mirror, it’s a good time to update our high school draft rankings. The class continues to look strong, and has solid depth in both hitters and pitchers, but will likely take a back seat to an incredibly strong college class.
Teams have continued to draft college players at a higher and higher percentage—thanks to financial incentives of the current draft system and the greater general risk with high school prospects—but there is still a lot of upside in the prep ranks for teams willing to take a chance, and spend the money.
The class is still led by Refugio (Texas) High righthander Jared Kelley, who has a terrific combination of size, present stuff and the ability to spot his pitches, though there are scouts who will argue for the hitting ability and massive raw power that West Allegheny High (Imperial, Pa.) outfielder Austin Hendrick offers from the left side or the projection and feel for spin that Jesuit High (Portland) righthander Mick Abel brings to the table.
Not much has changed at the top of the high school class, as many of the best players in the group didn’t attend Perfect Game’s World Wood Bat Association World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., but Independence High (Thompson’s Station, Tenn.) outfielder Robert Hassell does move to No. 5 overall and is now the second-highest rated hitter in the class thanks to a strong summer and showing with USA Baseball’s 18U National Team. He has a solid argument as the best pure hitter in the prep class.
One of the biggest risers is Kingwood (Texas) High righthander and shortstop Masyn Winn, who just missed being ranked on our previous top 50, but showed electric ability on the mound and as a hitter in Jupiter—shooting all the way up to No. 18 in the class. Pound-for-pound, Winn could be the most naturally gifted player in the 2019 class, as the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Arkansas commit can run his fastball up to 98 mph, has two potentially plus secondaries, generates impressive bat speed and can capably handle shortstop. He plays the game at a different speed than most high schoolers, and with continued consistency on and off the field next spring could find himself in the first round.
Righthander Nate Wohlgemuth is another Jupiter riser, who moved into the top 50 thanks to his electric pure stuff, but will face profile questions due to his size and the lack of a consistent third pitch. Still, his pure fastball velocity is among the best in the 2020 class.
The class is made up of 53 pitchers and 47 hitters, giving it a solid balance to this point. While there are many interesting righthanders throughout the class, the strength might be in outfielders. There are eight outfielders ranked among the top 25 including Hendrick and Hassell, as well as Pete Crow-Armstrong (Calif.), Zac Veen (Fla.), Dylan Crews (Fla.), Petey Halpin (Calif.), Isaiah Greene (Calif.) and Chase Davis (Calif.).
Conversely, the class is thin at shortstop, with just one (Ed Howard) ranked among the top 25.
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