Mick Abel vs. Jared Kelley: 2020 MLB Draft Prospect Showdown, RHP Rankings
Leading up to the 2020 draft on June 10, we’ll preview each position group by comparing and contrasting two of the top players in the mix. Today is righthanded pitchers, led by Mick Abel and Jared Kelley.
Previous installments:
Outfielders | Corner Infielders| Lefthanders
Fastball:
Breaking Ball: Abel gets the nod here, because his low-80s slider was voted the best overall breaking pitch in the high school class by scouting directors on our preseason best tools list. Abel’s slider is consistently sharp with good depth and tilt, while the development of Kelley’s breaking ball is one of his bigger questions he faces. EDGE: Abel Changeup: Both Kelley and Abel have changeups that stack up among the best in the class, though Kelley’s takes a very slight edge here. The pitch sits in the low 80s with excellent diving life, and he throws the pitch with impressive arm speed and has advanced feel to consistently locate the offering at the bottom of the zone. EDGE: Kelley Control: Both Kelley and Abel are regarded as two of the better strike-throwers in the class, but scouting directors voted that Abel had better command, and for that he gets the edge here. Consistently landing his entire arsenal is the another area of separation in this category. EDGE: Abel X Factor: Current physicality is perhaps the biggest difference between Kelley and Abel. The former is close to physically maxed out at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and already possesses a pro-ready frame. Scouts believe Kelley has the durability to handle a five-day workload. Abel is much lankier at 6-foot-5, 180 pounds, with more room for added strength gains in the future. While he added weight over the offseason, his frame suggests more room for future physical development. This could benefit either pitcher depending on team preference. Some clubs want physical prep players, while others might prefer to dream on what Abel could look like in several years. EDGE: Draw. Scout’s take on Abel: “I’m enamored with this one. I love him. I think he’s got a chance to be really good. He has now stuff, up to 96-97 (mph), breaking balls, projection, delivery . . . Front-of-the-rotation ceiling.” Scout’s take on Kelley: “He is a man amongst boys . . . At the Area Codes he was just toying with guys . . . The last guy who I saw who could pitch fastball/changeup like that was Chris Paddack, and you saw how quick he got to the big leagues—and Kelley has better stuff than Paddack in high school.” Strength: 4 stars Coming on the heels of one of the weakest pitching draft classes ever, the 2020 crop of righthanders excites scouting departments with its premium talent and depth. Ten or more are projected to go in the first round, headed by collegians Emerson Hancock and Max Meyer and preps Jared Kelley and Mick Abel. See full scouting reports in the BA 500 here. SPOTLIGHT: Top 2020 Righthanded Pitchers
First-Round Talents
No.
Rank
Player
School
State
FB
CB
SL
CHG
CTL
1
4
Emerson Hancock
Georgia
GA
60
50
55
60
60
2
10
Max Meyer
Minnesota
MN
70
—
70
45
50
3
11
Jared Kelley
HS—Refugio
TX
70
—
50
60
60
4
12
Mick Abel
HS—Portland
OR
60
50
60
60
60
5
19
Nick Bitsko
HS—Doylestown
PA
60
60
—
45
50
6
22
Cade Cavalli
Oklahoma
OK
60
55
60
55
50
7
23
J.T. Ginn
Mississippi State
MS
70
—
60
55
60
8
24
Cole Wilcox
Georgia
GA
60
—
60
50
45
9
25
Carmen Mlodzinski
South Carolina
SC
60
45
55
45
55
10
26
Tanner Burns
Auburn
AL
60
55
—
55
55
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