2021 Missouri Top MLB Draft Prospects
Today, Baseball America rolls out its state-by-state rankings for the 2021 MLB Draft. Additionally, you can find our:
500 Draft Rankings | 2021 MLB Mock Draft | MLB Draft Tracker
1. Carter Jensen, C, Park Hill HS, Kansas City, Mo. (BA RANK: 83)
Source: HS • Ht: 6-1 • Wt: 210 • B-T: L-R • Commitment/Drafted: Louisiana State
Jensen is a lefthanded-hitting, bat-first backstop committed to Louisiana State whose hit tool has been especially impressive among the talent in the Midwest. He has an ability to use his hands, he can turn around velocity and go the other way with offspeed pitches, and is consistently a hunter at the plate. There’s a chance the 6-foot-1, 210-pound teenager can stick as a catcher, but even if he can’t, the bat is enough to believe in. He has a knack for finding barrels, and there is some power in the tank, but he hasn’t yet figured out how to consistently elevate the ball. Behind the dish, he’s strong with good hands, and he works well within the zone but has to tighten up the other areas of his game. His blocking needs further development, and he likes to work from one knee, which is an approach the verdict is still out on among evaluators, but Jensen is quiet behind the plate and his receiving is adequate. He has good carry on his throws and he will show arm strength and flash a plus arm, but he doesn’t always move with a ton of energy back there and there are some questions about his ability to handle a full season as a catcher. Jensen has a high-maintenance body but he put in significant work to get in shape and it has shown. He will turn 18 a week before the draft.
2. Dylan Dodd, LHP, Southeast Missouri (BA RANK: 184)
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-3 • Wt: 210 • B-T: L-L • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted
Dodd has been consistently compared to Mets hurler Joey Lucchesi as a fellow southpaw out of Southeast Missouri State who added some velocity in college and was a JUCO transfer, and Lucchesi was selected in the fourth round of the 2016 draft and made the big leagues two years later. A two-way player through his playing days at Kankakee (Ill.) CC, Dodd has shown impressive athleticism and competitiveness. He’s one of the older players in this year’s draft at 23 years old, and in 15 starts for the Redhawks this season, he posted a 3.17 ERA over 96.2 innings, walking 17 and striking out 120 while holding opponents to a .227 average. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound lefthander was up to 96 last year, though he sat in the low 90s this season. His metrics are good and his fastball gets a ton of ride, leading to a lot of his success. He flashes a plus changeup to go along with a curveball and slider that are both average pitches, the latter getting a ton of swings and misses. He throws all four pitches for strikes, rarely makes a mistake over the heart of the plate, and he’s a safe bet as a high-likelihood major leaguer.
3. Hayden Juenger, RHP, Missouri State (BA RANK: 232)
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-0 • Wt: 180 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted
The 6-foot, 180-pound righthander was the closer for Missouri State this season, getting into 16 games, throwing 21 innings, walking six and striking out 31 batters. His fastball was 94-98 mph, to go along with an average slider and an average changeup. He gave up five of his nine earned runs in the first two weeks of the season, with a small sample of outings inflating his numbers, but he was lights out down the stretch.
4. Seth Halvorsen, RHP/OF, Missouri (BA RANK: 262)
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-2 • Wt: 225 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Twins ’18 (30)
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound righthander didn’t put up great numbers this year at Missouri, but the stuff is what excites. Halvorsen’s fastball has been sitting 94-98 mph, he’s touched triple digits, and he has a plus slider and a plus changeup to go with it. The 21-year-old is a former two-way player who is incredibly athletic and super twitchy, only recently committing to staying solely on the mound. He needs more confidence and conviction in his stuff, and he struggles to repeat his release point, but the natural talent is there.
5. Nick Moten, SS/RHP, Westminster Christian Academy, Florissant (BA RANK: 289)
Source: HS • Ht: 6-1 • Wt: 205 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Arkansas
The 17-year-old Arkansas commit is a shortstop and righthanded pitcher with more upside in the arm. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound hurler has been up to 95 mph with his fastball, sitting anywhere between 90 and 95. Moten throws a lot of strikes and has a good starting pitcher profile with an average slider, an average changeup and a below-average curveball to complement his fastball. He will turn 18 less than a month after the draft but even being young for the class, he lacks projection and could end up at school.
6. Mason Green, LHP, Central Missouri (BA RANK: 325)
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-1 • Wt: 195 • B-T: L-L • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted
7. Victor Quinn, RHP, Liberty-Wentzville HS, Lake St. Louis, Mo. (BA RANK: 417)
Source: HS • Ht: 6-1 • Wt: 200 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Oregon State
The 18-year-old hard-throwing righty gets his fastball up to 98 mph and sits anywhere in the mid-to-upper 90s, though it seems he rarely knows where it is going. Quinn has a curveball and a slider that both hover around the mid-to-upper 70s and a changeup in the upper 80s to low 90s. Beyond the arm strength and the stuff, Quinn is very inconsistent in the zone. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound hurler is committed to Oregon State.
8. John Kramer, OF, Lafayette HS
Source: HS •
9. Troy Wansing, LHP, Staley HS, Kansas City
Source: HS •
10. Trey Dillard, RHP, Missouri
Source: 4YR •
11. Trae Robertson, LHP, Missouri
Source: 4YR •
12. Brock Daniels, SS, St. John Vianney
Source: HS • Commitment/Drafted: Oklahoma
13. Dylan Carter, RHP, Crowder CC
Source: JC •
14. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Crowder CC
Source: JC •
15. Drew Garrett, RHP, Missouri
Source: 4YR •
16. Conor Dryer, RHP, Central Missouri
Source: 4YR •
17. Joshua Day, SS, Missouri
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-3 • Wt: 200 • B-T: R-R •
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